~Autumn Breezes~

Never Before Seen Images!!

2012-02-11T18:15:00.000-08:00

Steve with a book. Jenero smiling on his own (okay with prompting). With glasses.

Rambling ramble

2012-02-05T20:36:00.000-08:00

I have been so bad at keeping up here. Ah well. I have a ton of excuses but I'll limit myself to saying that I wanted to wait to post until I could add pictures (Christmas or whatever) but I couldn't find the camera anywhere! But now that the camera was found last week in the linen closet (isn't that where you keep cameras?) I only have the excuse that most of us have been stranded by a porcelain pedestal one time or other last week and I was in no mood to blog when I had a spare moment. =) And now I'm typing this after a drive to Provo and back on a Sunday night and I don't want to disturb my husband as I try to find the camera in my nightstand. So I guess if I'm going to type I'd better just type and forget pics or nothing's ever going to happen here.

Surprisingly, life goes on. Oh wait, that's normal. Kids go to school, Steve goes to work, and I get to stay home and either ignore the mess or clean up kids' chores so they can wave at them later and call them done. Of course, I also get to watch my littlest daughter which can be entertainment all by itself . . . or extremely taxing. She's two -- nuff said. Not much changes overall except what sport the kids are doing for youth sports (basketball just ended) or what injuries and sicknesses currently plague SOMEONE in the household. =) So in THAT department, Jenero just got over a sprained ankle (from basketball), Serene is getting over some sort of gaseous tummy trouble, and several others of us are rejoicing in being free from perpetual nausea and the need to constantly tote a bucket around the house. Like I said, just a typical time around here.

Atypical -- Steve AND Jenero are getting glasses. I know, GASP!! But it's time. We tried a bunch on in the store where they got their eyes examined, found their favorites (that fit their heads) . . . and then we almost passed out at the sticker price after insurance! So I took the frame measurements and pictures of the styles the men liked and visited ZenniOptical.com. Ah, Zenni. Where a $90 anti-glare treatment is $5. Where $60 polycarbonate is $10. Where scratch-guard is free and matching clip-on sunglasses are $3. And designer, titanium frames are $40 (though frames go as cheap as about $7). And yes, they had the lens, bridge, and temple measurements so we can be reasonably sure the frames will fit when they come. Let me tell you, it was SOOOOO much nicer getting two full-feature sets of glasses for about $90 (that's not giving them a limit on their frames even) than $500 that Standard Optical wanted -- after insurance!! And oh by the way, our insurance will reimburse most of Zenni's costs, too! Certainly all the frames' costs and about 20% of the rest. So if you're reading this and you wear glasses, I must insist that sometime you give the magic of Zenni a try! (And yes, Marina got her glasses there, as well as me my glasses AND designer sunglasses (tint: $5).)

Guess that's all! I'm finally feeling the effects of my 5-hour drive so I'll cut this short. Happy February, all!!

Twas the week before Christmas

2011-12-20T18:33:00.001-08:00

Busy. Crazy. Unexpected. Fun. Irritating. Hilarious. Pretty much sums up life lately. Thanksgiving was the most laid-back Thanksgiving in my adult life and I LOVED it!! We had prepared a lot ahead of time so that we could take our time on the actual day and just enjoy things as they came. And this Christmas season has been fun, though I know I've spent way more than I'd planned on. It's my one downfall with money: when I'm spending on others, I want to spend much, much more than if I were just getting stuff for myself. Ah well, we're not bankrupt! Yet. =) I did get to send Crisha's package today since she just recently got a job and won't be coming home for Christmas after all. Bummer. Just when we'd decided on the best (and most comfortable) bus line to use, too. At least we know for future trips! So the only kid who'll actually be home for Christmas is Serene, though all the others (except Crisha) will be here the day after, so we'll finish up the present thing then. The hard part is deciding what Steve and I will unwrap on Christmas day and what to save to let the kids see us unwrap. Miss Marina and Jessie already.

In other news, our dog found a new home. We had her for a few months and she was STILL scared stiff of Steve, wouldn't play with the kids AT ALL, and only was half-way acceptable as a companion around me when I was alone or just with Serene. So Macy now has a home with a quiet, older couple who also have a Maltese. Apparently Macy and the other dog became great friends after a couple days and the couple just think she's wonderful. Yay. Always glad to know we made the right decision by her. After all, we promised to take care of that dog when we adopted her from the shelter, but she just was not comfortable with the bustle of our home. Glad we were able to take care of her in SOME way.

Picture time! We did the pajama-opening before the first kiddos took off for vacation so I posted these two because it shows off my very meager skills with the sewing machine. At least the flannel designs were perfect for the recipients!
And I had to add Serene "smiling" on command for the camera. Can't imagine where she gets it from . . .
So here we are now, people coming and going all the time it seems, waiting for Santa to show up here (and elsewhere) so we can share happiness and excitement with everyone around us. I have to say, though, as much as Serene loves Santa and the idea that he's coming, her favorite things in the WORLD (not just Christmas things) is her Silent Night book and her laminated manger scene with moveable people and animals. Probably the most fun I have each day is watching her line up her baby Jesus with the star and move the angel and other figures around. And she's so sweet and tender whenever she speaks of "baby Jesus." In spite of her tantrums, Serene is a great example to me. =) Merry Christmas!!

New snow = swift, slick slide!

2011-11-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

And no one got hurt! =)

A Tiny Princess

2011-10-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

Serene is only two but has definite princess leanings. Not only did she choose her princess pajamas (which she won't change out of now), but she MUST have her nails painted at all times or we get an, "Uh oh!" whenever she notices her bare nails. Upside to such early princess leanings? Every time she goes to put her fingers in her mouth, I tell her princesses don't suck their fingers . . . and the fingers come out!! Hmmm, we could DEFINITELY use this to our advantage!! =)

Got from a friend . . .please overlook words I would never use!

2011-10-22T11:07:00.000-07:00

Please remember . . .

2011-10-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

Well . . .

2011-09-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

So in the last few weeks, we've gotten used to kids in school again, adopted a dog, temporarily lost a daugher (so sad!!), went back to Florida, lost a dog, and now are wondering where on earth we stand. There, now you know practically everything I can share. Have a great day!!

I love having to do the "potty dance"

2011-08-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Silly title for the post? Not nearly as silly as watching me DO said potty dance. Yes, we are potty training Serene, which involves a lot of watching the little munchkin, watching her, and watching her some more. With occasional questions of the, "Do you need to go potty?" variety. And we're having quite a bit of success! Much more than the other times I thought she was ready. Only problem? If she has anything on her lower half (other than a skirt), she treats it like a diaper. Steve doesn't like her going around "commando," but it's working! She never has accidents anymore unless you LET her (like letting her get out of your sight down a hallway . . . I mean, really, any parent knows what that's going to mean). So while she's not the one-week wonder Jessie was, she's making progress, only needing pullups for sleeping and time in public (I DO have some sense of modesty for my daughter!). And each time she uses her potty correctly, Serene gets to see Mom go all silly on her and do the "potty dance" to celebrate. You should see her grin! (Though in my defense, she's probably just loving seeing Mom act like she does. Anytime there's music in a show (Phineas and Ferb being the current favorite around here), she gets up and dances her little heart out. I'm just following her lead in a way.)

Gatorland, etc.

2011-08-21T15:42:00.001-07:00

I really don't feel like posting, but on the off chance anyone needs a quick update, Steve is ranked as the 11th in the nation in the 5-axle division of truck drivers. All truck drivers, not just food service (stay tuned for THAT rating end of next month, lol). And he was part of the Utah team (obviously) that came in 3rd in the overall state ratings. Cool. Fun. And we loved yet another trip to Orlando with visits to the beach and Gatorland. We did go to Ripley's Believe it or Not museum, but if you ever have the chance to SKIP it, DO SO. Lame. And what wasn't lame was simply disgusting. So no, we did NOT enjoy that. Too bad. The rest of our stay was fun, even though we felt totally out of place at the Peabody hotel, where the conference was oriented. NICE hotel, but that's probably why we felt so out of place, lol! The stairs were great for exercise, even if I did scare a poor bellhop at about 5:00 in the morning one day. I think he didn't expect anyone in the stairwell when he entered at floor 21 (there were 30 overall in our tower). Glad to be home. Glad school starts this week. Wondering where my smile went but hoping it'll come back soon. =)

Officially . . .

2011-08-01T18:32:00.000-07:00

Steve is officially freed from the addiction of Fablehaven! Yay! We both enjoyed the series although we were a little taken aback by the rather abrupt ending. Huh. Ah well, otherwise, a highly enjoyable series. After all, it's not every day some author can not only con my husband into reading, but into reading five books straight (and trying to hide the book he's on so his wife can't find it and read past him. Dismal failure, that last part, btw!).

And in totally unrelated news, I now know that I officially have too low blood pressure to donate plasma. Bummer. Was kinda looking forward to getting some extra cash each week. Though to be honest, it's kind of a relief knowing I physically CAN'T. Those needles HURT!! And I give blood as much as I can! But not only were these monster needles (I knew they would be, of course), but the gals kept pushing them in farther or pulling them out, wiggling them around trying to get my blood flowing faster somehow. In BOTH arms! OOOOWWWWWWW! Honestly, if I never see another blood needle ever again, it will be too soon. This may have even ruined me for blood donation, but don't tell Steve that! =)

Uhhh, what was that?

2011-07-19T12:48:00.000-07:00

Oh, right! That's QUIET. Although it's only 'cause it's nap/quiet time, it still exists here. Wow. Two, count them ONE, TWO kids at home. Granted, one's an active toddler and one runs everywhere and rivals even me with verbal words per minute, but what a difference it is! I can actually keep track of everyone I'm in charge of, there's no pushing for turns on the slip-n-slide, there's no blaming anyone for outrageous things (well, none that I can't automatically disprove by the fact that a toddler just CAN'T do some things), and I "get" to make dinner every night and do dishes every day. And night. Okay, so I could live without those last two, but honestly, the dishes thing really isn't much of a change. Dinner though. Do you know how long it's been since I was pretty much exclusively in charge of meal planning? Weird.

So yes, we miss everyone. From out-of-state to just out-of-town, we miss them. Counting down till mid-August!

Wow!

2011-07-12T15:08:00.000-07:00

So I thought June was busy, but July has started off with a bang! Our sick tree finally got cut down, Steve's Mom's family was up here, several of my family came the next week, Jessie's soccer tournament is this week, and don't forget my favorite cousin's wedding that was last Saturday!

So here's just the highlights of the pics:

Tree -- what's left of it. Just perfect for a two-level tree house.

Kid Wash (as opposed to a car wash) -- my brother-in-law's creation for lots of wet fun

The munchkin looking adorable. And with her highly appropriate shirt her aunt brought out for her. =)The Oquirrh Mountain Temple and my beautiful cousin with her new fam.

He did it AGAIN. And for the first time.

2011-06-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

So did I mention Steve won a truck roadeo again? And I'm not talking about Nicholas's roadeo last week. He went to the Utah Trucking Association's truck driving championships this weekend, as he has each time he's won at Nicholas & Co. BUT THIS TIME HE WON 1ST IN THE 5-AXLE DIVISION. Yay! And that's putting it mildly. =) I think there has only been one other Nicholas employee EVER to win this, and then he quit before he went to the national competition of the American Trucking Association. So . . . Steve will probably be going to Florida. Twice. Once Aug. 9-13 for the ATA's "National Truck Driving Championships" (all trucking industries included), and then he'll go Sept. 23-25 for the International Foodservice Distributors Association's "Food Industry Truck Driving Championships." We apparently are meant to get to know Orlando VERY well, lol. Funny, since the championships of both associations are supposed to move around each year, but we only seem to go to Florida. Ah well. Aside from the long plane trip, I don't mind.

I am just so absolutely THRILLED for Steve. So often I get frustrated for him because it seems like his work doesn't really appreciate him or take note of how well he does his job (even when customers fill out official forms praising him!), and his winning these competitions forces the bosses to take note. He was the first Nicholas driver to win the IFDA championship in 2009. And he'll be the first to go the the ATA championship this year (as long as they send him . . . which we're pretty sure they will).

Our kids got scattered this weekend: Crisha, of course, it already at Catalina Island studying up to teach scouts merit badges; Marina and Jessica went to their dad's in Provo; Jenero, Xeneea, Adria, and Sim went to stay with an aunt and uncle and cousins in Nibley; and Serene ended up staying with an aunt and uncle and cousins in Farmington (we go to drop off a welder and got our baby kidnapped as well). Okay, so that last was not planned. But they offered, and we admitted that Serene would have much more fun there, so Steve and I got a night and day to ourselves. Wow. But how fun to get them all back and let them know their dad won 1st! And how cute was Serene in her Krispy Kreme hat! (She got to go with her cousins and aunt to watch the doughnuts being made.)

AND just to prove we DO have a family all together once in a while . . .

2011-06-05T11:54:00.000-07:00

So we're not even going to mention the leg-pulling, persuading, pleading, and near-threatening that happened to get this picture. Sorry not everyone is exactly how they'd love to be for all eternity, but it was the best of the batch, lol!

One little bird about to fly the coop

2011-06-04T21:42:00.001-07:00

AAAAAAGH! I CANNOT believe Crisha turns 18 tomorrow! She graduated last week and is officially on her own on Monday when she flys to CA to start her summer job. Gonna miss her so much!

Number One Again!

2011-06-04T18:39:00.001-07:00

So it comes as no surprise but with great delight that Steve has once again won the five-axle division at his company's anual "roadeo." The scoring is based on a compilation of three scores: a written test, a pre-trip inspection of a truck for safety and rule compliance, and then the actual driving course. Many of the written scores were in the same ballpark, so that didn't do much to tell us where Steve stood at first, but he did get an early lead in the driving. Of course, then another guy ousted him out of first by 30 points (a big margin), so we were down to looking at the pretrip to truly decide who took first place. Now I KNOW what kind of man my husband is and that it's easy for him to win this sort of thing . . . but I also know that if I act like that, good ol' Murphy will step in with his law and make Steve lose. So I ACTED as though I either don't care if Steve won or as if I ddn't think he really had a shot . . . thus making it possible for my husband to actually have a chance. Clear? As mud, right? Well, it makes sense to me! And Steve IS going to the Utah State Truck Driving Championship next week (after a week in Moab with Varsity Scouts) and he IS going to the National Food Industry Truck Driving Championship in September. So my somewhat muddled reasoning must have worked somehow, right? =) Besides, it also worked that year in Florida when he won there, too, lol!

Belated Crazy Hair Day

2011-06-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

So we didn't get a chance to put these up before (I think, anyway, if we did, we're doing it again because the girls are here and want to see how I put things on the blog), but this was the kids' last Crazy Hair Day at their current school. Jessie designed her own look of half and half, Marina was my very own pseudo Dr. Seuss creation, and Sim was a blue-spotted cheetah. I don't think they had ANY fun with it, do you?

P.S. Yes, that is Jessie's natural tongue. Creepy, no? We call her "Lizard Tongue."

New: Proof that we are all still alive and kicking!

2011-05-29T14:15:00.000-07:00

Anther third grade victory!

2011-05-17T12:48:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I don't have any pics of her surrounded by the books yet, but Jessie finished all 7 Harry Potter books last night! Yup, she read till 9:00 to finish Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (I let her stay up half an hour past her bedtime since she was so close -- how could I not when I've done that myself countless times?). Yay!! I had been downstairs exercising and she wasn't sure when I'd be up (before or after she fell asleep), so she left me a note on her door saying, "There are two girls that live here and they both have finished the whole Harry Potter series! Jessica finished it on Monday night, May 16, 2011." She and Marina (who are the two girls in that room) both finished the series in their third grade year. It's funny to see their various styles of reading, though. Marina read straight through, and it took her about five months. Jessie read many books at the same time, so the series took her a while longer; but hey! They both did it and they're both so happy about it!

Turkey Vultures

2011-05-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

So this morning my neighbor made sure to point out to me my five uninvited overnight guests I'd had -- turkey vultures in my already over-populated tree out front (home to innumerable little birds and at least two owls that we know of). I haven't seen turkey vultures (some call them turkey buzzards -- same thing) in the wild since Ft. Huachuca, when there were TONS of them living in this one tree up Grierson Avenue. Huh. Strange how these five brought back memories of my panicking as birds with HUGE wingspans dove at my head while I waited for my ride to seminary or the times when they'd attack my poor kites whenever I flew them on the parade field in front of the vultures' tree. So thank you, random fowl, for the flight down memory lane. And thank you for moving on and not scaring my poor owls away. =)

Spider Jessie

2011-05-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is a little older, gritty video quality, and sideways. =) Ah well, you'll get the idea! The joys of having a rather narrow hallway just sitting there begging to be used in productive ways.

Swamped

2011-04-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

Literally. Our basement started gathering water on Monday with our nonstop pouring rain, and I tried to keep up with it with our 12-gallon shop vac. Ha ha. By the end of the day, we had three shop vacs going along the east wall of our basement and had the kids on shifts manning them (I had an incredibly sore back after going it alone for five hours already . . . though I did take more turns that night). Around 9:30 or 10 at night, we discovered water coming up through the two bedroom floors downstairs (with carpet, of course). That's when I gave up. And did the water enjoy having no restraints!

The kids were great, even enlisting the neighbor boy into helping as we took ALL their stuff from their rooms and set up a dormitory in the garage. Boys on one end, girls on the other. No wall yet, but with how long things will take, we may just have to move over our wall of wheat buckets (currently BY a wall in the garage) and put it as at least a minimum of a privacy barrier. Ah joy. But so far the older kids and Sim (who have to sleep in their new clubhouse) have taken this all very well. Maybe it's because they know if they complain they'll get put to work with their dad and me as we pull off baseboards, pull up carpets and pads, drill holes in the walls where the baseboards were (it is SO nice to have a brother-in-law formerly in the restoration business! We get all the tricks that may possibly save us from having to redo all our sheet rock!), and then prop up carpets on networks of food storage buckets, ladders, or whatever so we can have it off the floor as we run a fan under it all to dry them. Anybody follow that sentence? =) But seriously, the kids have been and are great with the whole thing. And now Steve and I are looking into at least repainting and eventually cleaning the carpets (when we've got everything else cleaned up and ready to go) before we reset all our downstairs. A face lift for the basement by necessity, lol!

And how are we making sure this never happens again? Especially when we supposedly already have a French Drain all around our house with a sump pump already in it? (Steve tracked down the builder and first owner of the house for details.) Well, Steve's already knocked a hole in the basement floor and put a sump pump in THAT to deal with the water under the house, and as soon as we have the rest of the plans for where the in-floor heating lines are down there, we'll pot another hole in the floor of the other side of the basement to put another sump pump there. French Drain with pump and two sump pumps in the basement itself. Judging on how our pumps right now are dealing with things (so another would give us more leeway), Steve and I think this solution will work. Hooray! Cause if it doesn't, our only other option is to put a SECOND French Drain out beyond the first as a barrier to THAT. At least we have options! =)

And now it's time to go check on my dripping carpets in the basement. (We dried them as much as we could before we pulled them up, but you can only suck up so much water with a shop vac.) At least it's not raining! =)

My poser

2011-04-08T10:08:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I just love this picture. Once in a while even amateurs get something close to what they wanted! And yes, this is our yard BEFORE the six inches of snow we got . . . again. Goodbye, Spring! Nice of you to drop by for the twelve hours you came! I guess my neighbor's right -- Logan has two seasons: this winter . . . and last winter. =)

Just dancin.

2011-03-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

So really, we have like nothing new to relate. We get up, Steve goes to work, I try not to go back to bed, I exercise, clean house, get kids up, ready, out the door, play with the last munchkin, clean some more (with the munchkin cleaning alongside me), practice flute or piano (some day I'll do BOTH!), bake bread or some such while L'il Sis sets up her own cook shop on the kitchen floor, plan my next cubscout den meetings, read and read and read to the littlest bookworm, look out my window at the snow still on my garden and DREAM of the time when I'll actually get to work the soil and prepare it for planting, feed the toddler, exercise some more, take a shower, welcome Steve home, talk, talk, talk, clean or cook some more, welcome kids home, help with homework, help with more homework, make or help make dinner, eat, read scriptures, remind kids to clean up, get spoiled little urchin to bed, get other young kids to bed (or at least IN bed reading), make sure older kids are in bed somewhat in the range of on time, and RELAX. Kind of. Does blogging count as relaxing? Sure it does. Oh and now's when I usually find out one of the kids started laundry that now has to either be redone (read too many clothes in the washer to actually get clean) or dried. And then I need to clean some more. Seriously, I have no idea how Serene can so seriously mess up a room so quickly. And when that's finally done . . . again . . . then what? Well, then I just wish I could enjoy the clean house for a few minutes so I'm often tempted to stay up crosstitching and listening to The Book of Mormon on mp3 until I practically fall asleep on the couch.

NO, that doesn't happen everyday. Most days I call it quits around the switching laundry part and just fall into bed about the same time as the older kids are SUPPOSED to get to theirs. =) But you get the drift.

HOWEVER, I can say that Steve and I now have one very important change. Well, it's important to us. We now have dance lessons every Thursday night. Yay! It was Steve's idea, since there are NO dances for old married folk around here. We started on the Fox Trot and some of the Cha Cha last week and we had so much fun! We also ran into Jessica's and Marina's old kindergarten teacher in our class, though thankfully not literally. I'm looking forward to going and dancing again tomorrow, especially since tomorrow's routine somehow has to fit in dental appointments for two kids. Happy happy joy joy! But you know? I'll take the two-kid appointment. Sure beats the 7 we had last time! And in then end, we get to just shake it all off. I can't wait! =)

White

2011-03-11T12:23:00.000-08:00

So I have discovered that even snowmen get bored if they stand still too long. The solution for the frozen guys? Exercise! Here's our snowman doing his stretches the other day. And then we found out that stretching for more than a day ends in heads rolling. I wouldn't recommend it, lol! I have to admit that I absolutely loved how Steve brought my attention to our snowman's quirks: he came in saying, "Monika, your snowman is defying the laws of physics out there!" Ah, see? Not even three years into our marriage, and already he sounds like he could have grown up around my family!

And here's the smallest munchkin out for a stroll in the first of our series of big snowfalls recently. She was so frustrated when she couldn't climb up the ladder to our "pirate ship" that she'd been playing on (snow free with even grass around it) just the day before.

April Fools Came Early

2011-02-16T20:15:00.001-08:00

So it was like 60 the other day. And now we have several inches of very wet, compact snow outside . . . and it's still falling. If it weren't so late, I'd be out there making a snowman, though! First wet snow all season, lol!

NEVER AGAIN

2011-02-10T09:48:00.000-08:00

So this week I launched a battle on dust. Ceiling fans, picture frames, lamp shades, nothing was safe from my duster.

Curtains, however, were awarded special attention. They have never been down in the almost two years since we moved in, and I have NO idea how long it's been since anyone did anything about them before that. (Seriously, I have never seen so much dust in one piece of fabric in my life. Of course, judging by how grimy our chandelier was when we moved in, that doesn't surprise me.) So curtains came down, and except for the "Dry Clean Only" ones in my bedroom were washed and ironed. So far so good. And mostly even after that. But I'll admit it -- the kitchen curtains defeated me.

To start with, they were homemade (read: imperfect to begin with), and put on ludicrously wide curtain rods (read: it'd be a pain in the neck to actually find curtains in my price range to replace them to fit on those silly rods. And when someone painted the kitchen its two-tone faux finish, they didn't remove the rods, so I can't really replace them without having to paint the whole kitchen over). And then, it was an all-out battle: first to get them off the rods, then to get them back ON. And one window we had to fudge it. I noticed a couple panels needed mending on the sleeve part, so I mended them. And then found out why they were ripped when I attempted (yes, attempted) to put them back on their rod. Didn't work. At all. So they again have a few rips, lol, but finally they are back on and up in the window. AND I AM NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN. Seriously. If they need dusting, I will take them out rod and all and pound the life out of them outside, but they are not coming off that rod unless I find some curtains to replace the whole gang with someday (we have 6 matching windows). Ugh. My hands and arms are sore from all that wrestling with inanimate objects. It even hurts to type! =)

4 minutes in a toddler's life

2011-02-04T10:04:00.000-08:00

So this is especially for you who can't be here to watch the sometimes amazing feats of one particular toddler. =) This means you, A. Just a few little quirks of the little one.

Lip Gloss

2011-02-04T10:00:00.000-08:00

Millions, smillions

2011-02-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

Gotta just pass this on. My sister sent me the link explaining just how much this "president" of ours proposing to cut from our country's extraordinarily large "budget." Anyone else agree the guy's all talk?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk_jToBbpWU

Oh, and just found this related video regarding the "stimulus" bill designed to "save" jobs. I've known the numbers, but I love the visualizations!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a24g1Bqu9Jc&feature=related

My REAL New Year's Resolution

2011-01-19T12:35:00.001-08:00

Hmmmm . . .

2011-01-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

So what do you do when your husband is critiquing the children on how reverent they were in church, reminding them that sleeping or causing others to make noise is NOT being reverent . . . and he himself had been holding the munchkin up off the floor as she gripped his index fingers and giggled her head off? =)

Youngest and Oldest

2011-01-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

Just a couple pics of the extremes of our kids. Aaaaah! (And no, I couldn't get rid of those red eyes on Serene. But it's such a pretty pic otherwise!)

Snow

2011-01-08T21:51:00.000-08:00

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Well, even though we had no new snow for Christmas (and a whole lot of melting before), I am glad we have the canyon so near . . . with it's famously record low temperatures and therefore lots of snow! These pictures were taken at "The Sinks" up Logan Canyon, almost all the way to Bear Lake. And yes, the hill is even steeper than it looks. And that's just the lower section where we were. Jenero and his friend liked to start much higher up. Do you know how long it takes to climb that high in snow that lets you sink up to your knees at times? We were glad we came as early as we did as by noon the parking area was packed and snowmobilers were crowding the slopes. The ones that weren't setting up firepits and cooking lunch, that is. Those sinks are a popular place!

And btw, yes, our little "Tube Train" DID work. I found that if I shut my eyes as we go down, I tend not to panic as much and can actually stay on the tube all the way to the bottom . . . and hold the other kids on at the same time. =)

Serene's Spectacular Splat

2010-12-21T13:25:00.001-08:00

So my daughter is a runner. Especially when she's dead tired and stuck at church. She gets so hyper that she just sprints away from whomever is watching her, giggling and shrieking the whole time. Last Sunday she rediscovered the stage at the back of the cultural hall. (She first discovered it when she went to see Santa and get a jingle bell.) She had a grand ol' time running around the stage, in and out of the curtains lining the wings, running through the curtains lining those wings, not caring where she was going and having a blast that she could run right through a curtain until it finally pulled off her head and she could see again. Necessary background info here.

Later, when church was almost over and I was sick of chasing Serene up and down the hallways (and trying to keep her off the stairs that led from the hall to the stage), I let Serene run around crazy in the cultural hall with about four other little ones Serene's age whose parents had also given up trying to corral their kids. The toddlers all had fun running in circles and such. And then Serene made a dash for the other side of the hall . . . where there was another set of stairs leading up to the stage. I sighed, resigned to having to go chase her yet again, and crossed the hall to the stairs. As I started up, I heard one of the dads behind me say, "She's clear on the other side of the stage!" I ran up the stairs and found my little one laughing and smiling at me from beside a black curtain in the wings. As I started across the stage, Serene shrieked with a grin, turned, and started running right at -- and through -- a deep maroon curtain. That lined the front of the stage. So picture, if you will, a little toddler with the biggest grin, shrieking her head off as she laughs and runs into the curtain and can't see a single thing as she keeps running and waiting for the curtain to eventually slide off her head . . . as she runs right off the edge of the stage and splats on the floor below! AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH! Okay, that last was MY reaction. I tried to reach her in time, but nope. I DID make record time crossing the stage and jumping down, though. In a dress. The floor was carpeted, kind of, at least it wasn't hard tile she fell on. And the dads who witnessed her spectacular fall said that she landed spread-eagle all-together, so at least she didn't just fall on her head. But oh, her poor little face was red for the longest time. And I don't think she stopped crying for at least 20 minutes. Poor thing. She's all right now and I can laugh at the video this would have made. But then all I could do was try not to burst out crying as I sat holding my baby and shaking like crazy. =) And I thought I felt bad when 2-month-old Marina fell off the changing table. Thank Heaven for babies made of rubber!!

Twas the Monday Before Christmas . . .

2010-12-20T20:18:00.000-08:00

Ahhh, my house is picked up at least, and I didn't have to do the dishes tonight. May not have been the most popular step-mom when I reminded the dishes-doer that it really does help to have it done at night rather than in the morning when the mice have had a chance at everything. Don't really know if we have mice, but we used to and I sure don't want to encourage any stray who may happen by, lol!

So now I'm sitting up enjoying the time with my clean house. Of course, that means I'm alone (somehow add even one person here and chaos reigns supreme), but you know? I'll take it for now.

Tonight we took a batch of goodies to our Visiting and Home Teaching families. And one doorbell ditch. We HAVE to have at least one running session! Then we came home, pigged out on goodies still here, and watched Christmas Vacation. You know, it's funny overall, but wow! Watch it on ClearVue or something cause the swearing blew me away. Yikes. Yes, I was one of those parents who actually pointed out to the kids I'd better not EVER hear them use those words. But hey! I got outvoted. No one wanted to watch Miracle on 34th Street or White Christmas. =)

Tomorrow I get to help with Simeon's class Christmas party. More to keep order than anything else, I think. Then Wednesday, I'm in charge of Jessie's Christmas party. Here's hoping all the parents show up who said they would since we're doing stations! I think we're okay, but I really don't want to end up with free time on our hands and rowdy kids who can't wait to go home! Guess if we have to we could always go outside and have a snowball fight, lol! As long as this rain doesn't melt all the snow. Maybe if I bring extra cookies that will get us through any emergency.

Well, I'm off to read The Adventurers. And if Karna ever read my blog, she'd laugh at that. But I really do need something mindless right now, something I can practically recite from heart. Or at least something in which I know every plot twist and my mind can go on autopilot. Of course, I DID just finish The Apprentice (which fits the afore-mentioned category), but that's all right, too.

And the madness begins!

2010-12-07T10:19:00.000-08:00

So I can't find my camera. Well, guess this post will be without pics.

This last weekend was Steve's family's annual Christmas party. We went down to their place to have it, but all the families were spread out between Steve's parents' house and his brother's house. And the cousins had sleepovers! The girls all got to sleep in a trailer (heated) and the boys all bunked out in Grandpa's shop (heated). Needless to say, the kids had a blast! And parents got a bit of a break in the evening, lol. We went down on Friday, came back after church Sunday, and had a huge party day on Saturday. We had the actual party at the church (which ironically is in-between the two houses we stayed at), and it's a good thing. Lots of room for the kids (and adults!) to run around, play bingo, shoot off bottles on a rocket launcher, shoot darts (with a pressurized gun) at a styrofoam snowman, shoot hoops, and play other fun, fast-paced games. We had a wonderfully tasty dinner and such, which I definitely appreciated even if it was only a week after Thanksgiving (grin!), followed by a gift exchange. All in all, a fun, family-filled day. And couple evenings. We love the family get-togethers so much, especially the kids hanging with the cousins.

And now the Christmas season has officially begun. Yay! Chains links are being ripped off each day, goodies cooked anew nearly every day, doorbell ditching with goodies twice a week, decorations up (that was last week), presents arriving (I love online shopping!), kids playing in our snow, etc., etc. And even though we're incredibly busy and stuff doesn't always work out (do you know how many of the kids' graham cracker houses I had to put back together after they fell apart last night?), I love this Christmasy time of year!! Sometimes I just have to remind myself I'm having fun. But I wouldn't give up a single tradition for anything. I just need to make the toffee today along with the divinity to catch up, lol!

Link between posts

2010-12-02T21:46:00.000-08:00

Oi, it's been a while, but what can I say? I love the holidays so much I don't spend so much time on the computer. So sorry to all those who are suffering from withdrawal from Serene pictures or new tidbits on the whole household of Eight is Enough. =) When we get back from this weekend's activities, I promise I'll at least add photos. I still can't believe how everyone changes so much so quickly. Or that our van's damage wasn't enough to total it (that's actually a bummer, lol!). Later!

My Halloween Feast -- Harry Potter Style

2010-10-30T09:29:00.001-07:00

So we've been going pretty nonstop around here, but I love Halloween, at least the fun, non-creepy side of it. =) And when our little kids had a party (the older kids got one the next night so they wouldn't have to share with about 14 kids under age 10), I was excited to try out some recipes for different treats inspired by the Harry Potter books. I didn't get to do all that I wanted (couldn't find treacle or butterscotch syrup and plain ran out of time to go shopping for ingredients not at our local grocery store), but I DID get to make Ton-tongue toffee (okay, think Mom's English Toffee recipe), Cockroach Clusters (chow mein noodles in chocolate -- dark!), Licorice Wands (licorice with one end dipped in chocolate (any color) and rolled in sprinkles), Cauldron Cakes (upside-down cupcakes with thin licorice handles to look like cauldrons), Pumpkin Juice (pumpkin, apple cider, pineapple juice, and a little honey), and Pumpkin Pasties (bascially pumpkin pie filling cooked up without a shell, cooled, scooped into uncooked 4-inch pie shell circles, pinched into a gyoza shape, and cooked till light brown). Then I bought the green gummi-type frogs (couldn't find a mold to make Chocolate Frogs or Peppermint Toads) as well as carmel apple lolli-pops (my weak substitution for the wanted acid pops -- no super sour blow pops or pop rocks to roll them in!). Roast up the pumpkin seeds from the used pumpkin and voila! Our Hogwarts feast! Yes, we did have Rat Intestines, too (a.k.a. mac and cheese), but the kids were much more interested in everything else. =) Even the older kids' guests clued in that the refreshments were like Harry Potter and loved them (yes, I made enough for both parties). It honestely was funny how many figures we had show up from the wizarding world (our own Jessie was Ginny, complete with authentic pygmy puff and Ollivander's wand, and Marina was an unnamed witch friend). And now, since Jessie's class party is done (was also in charge of games and crafts there), once we make it through our ward party tonight and trick-or-treating I can rest till Thanksgiving! Oh wait . . . I get to help kids make Christmas gifts for the cousin gift-exchange on the Tribe side! But you know, I honestly have fun with all this. Especially watching the kids laugh. Still, I felt my costume of a house elf seemed appropriate (that's a giant pillowcase I'm wearing).

And here was the kids' favorite game (mummy wrap), though freeze tag with wands and yelling, "Stupefy!" was a hit, too. The one you absolutely can't tell who it is . . . well, if you recognized the tongue, good job! It's our very own "Lizard Tongue," also known as our little goalie/forward/wing/fullback -- Jessie! (Yes, I know I need to get soccer pics up now that the fall season is over. Or maybe I'll just wait and get them in the spring, lol!)

Kids get themselves into the darndest things!

2010-10-30T09:17:00.000-07:00

2010-10-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

Here it is. The first beautiful, cuddly, cozy cloth diaper for my little one from gogreenpocketdiapers.com. Oi. I still can't believe I really want to try this, but after many bouts of painful bums and now days of trying the best recommendations out there for the diaper rash that won't go away (with it only getting worse), I'm thinking outside my normal box. And I have to admit. I love how these diapers feel, fit, suck moisture so far, not to mention how they look. They come with a pocket inside that you put the insert(s) in, but I prefer the option of just tucking the microfiber insert inside. The diaper holds it in just fine and that way you go through a lot fewer outside diapers in a day. =) I know I'll be adding to my laundry, but anything that adds LESS to our already daily loads is good! And I have to admit, Serene absolutely loves these diapers! Yes, we can tell . . . this kid is not shy about making her opinions heard, lol!

I Wonder As I Ramble

2010-10-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

So I wonder why it is some people seem to never get sick and others can practically make themselves sick at will. Or just catch everything that flies by. Take my husband. He is practically never sick. I think I've seen him with a cold once. Then there's Marina. She gets sick about once a month to the point where she needs to take to her bed. Or if she gets a cough, she'll start needing a bucket because her coughs trigger a stomach upheaval. She'll get high fevers that go up and down throughout the day so that if I do get it down with ibuprofen in the morning, it's back up to 104 by noon and I have to go get her out of school (so no, it wouldn't work to go give her another dose at school -- the old one never has time to wear off yet). She even had to be hospitalized once because the doctor was worried about meningitis, her symptoms were so bad. Oi. Poor girl. Then there's Serene who gets the most horrendous diaper rashes. Not fungal, I've dealt with those and know what to look for. But the poor girl starts crying (tears and all) just from having me set her on the changing table now since she knows what's coming. We don't even use wipes anymore because of all this, but every cream out there - even ButtPaste - doesn't seem to work. Course I haven't tried Bag Cream (originally just for chapped cow udders) which I just read about, so here's hoping. I wish it were summer. At least we could spend all day outside and let the little one streak around au natural. Course, the kids have suggested we corral Serene in the kitchen and let her run naked there, but somehow I can't see that happening. But maybe we can give her a break from the diapers a little bit. Or go cloth. The cloth diapers now are really super absorbant and even are supposed to suck moisture away from little bums . . . not to mention they're adorable if you get the right ones. But that would really be a big change to try without knowing if it would work or not. But can you tell I'm thinking of it anyway? And no, Mom, they're not the type that require swishing in the toilet. (Just dumping solids, lol.) I wish there was a way to try something new like this without a significant investment up front. Oh well. Welcome to Life, right? At least no one else is sick right now. Hurting, yes. (HOW many women do we have here?) But sick, no. =)

Want to see what $15,000 looks like?

2010-10-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's a black opal from Australia's Lightning Ridge. And all I can say is W..O..W. Anyone wonder why black opals are my absolute favorite gemstone??

Holy Cow!

2010-10-12T07:23:00.000-07:00

So I need to add that our little munchkin just amazes me. I have never seen a baby so organized before! She has her own ideas of how things should be and she constantly rearranges things to suit her. From blocks to books to balls and even my computer keyboard, she'll stack, arrange, push things till they're how she thinks they should be. Constantly. The other day just showed me another example. We have a Pelican bib for her while she eats. Now most kids, when they spill food in the bib, just pick the food out of the bib and eat it (or ignore it). Serene will take the food out of her bib and put it back on her plate. That's where it belongs! There's even a little cup holder spot on her tray . . . which Serene actually uses for her cup. I tell you, this kid is amazing this way. I just hope it doesn't hang her up later. =)

Hey look! She's still got hair!

2010-10-11T13:28:00.000-07:00

So it's been so much fun having a baby girl with tons of hair. And since it never fell out and had to start over, it's getting pretty long now, too. The most amazing thing is, wonder of all wonders, she'll actually let us put her hair in different styles now! We've advanced from the perpetual waterspout just to get it out of her face to barretts, twists (held in with bobby pins), multiple pigtails, braids . . . You get the idea. Serene used to just hold still for Lacrisha while these miracles were taking place, but now she'll let me do things, too. If I move with her as her head goes everywhere! Yes, I'm pretty happy with that braid there. Besides, what better excuse to show off our cute little sis?

I think she may even be enjoying the attention now. The other day when she was meandering through our church parking lot (near the park), she found something and it looked like she was trying to put it in her hair, kind of how she tries to brush or comb her hair when she finds a brush or comb at home. When I saw what Serene had picked up, I laughed. A bobby pin! This little girl knows what's going on! =)

Pumpkin Cookies

2010-10-02T14:53:00.000-07:00

Oh, I love fall! No one looks at you like you're crazy when you bake with pumpkin. =) I love my pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips!! Crisha made some pumpkin bread the other day and I just had to use up the extra pumpkin today. Oh shucks! Imagine pumpkin pie in a slightly more cakey form with a cookie shape and crust. Mmmmm! Thank you, Karna, for that 1001 Cookies book!!!!

Renewal time

2010-09-27T08:25:00.000-07:00

So I'm sitting here on the phone with yet another rep from some insurance agency. I used to do this call-around-compare-quotes thing every six months, but the last few years it's dwindled down to a spot check with one random company every year just to make sure our current company was still the best deal. However, today I am yet again making the rounds to try and lower our rates. Amazing what I do sometimes to try and save a buck. Ok, so I decided not to switch unless they could save me at least $50 every 6 months. Even still, so far, the best quote I've gotten aside from my current policy is $50 MORE every 6 months. Huh. All these companies who swear they can beat Progressive. Hasn't happened yet in the four years I've been with them. And you know for car insurance that's a long time to be with someone. But what I really want to know is how do the companies who charge $700 or more OVER my current 6-month policy stay in business? Is it simply name recognition? A family tradition? Or just that people started there and never bothered to shop around? I will say this, though. I never appreciated what my parents went through money-wise when we kids started driving. =)

Orlando at high speed

2010-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

NOTE: Even if you don't want to read everything, at least scroll through the pictures. They're fun!

So I thought to do a write-up on what our kids did while we were in Orlando, but to tell the truth, I don't know! =) So here's Steve's and my whirlwind visit to Orlando for the 2010 Food Industry Truck Driving Championships.

1. We checked into our room at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort then the next day went and played at Universal Studios. We did rides, of course, like MIB; but more we watched movies in "4-D", were extras in a disaster "movie", and even got paid to give our opinions about a new series to replace something else that bombed (it's called Outlaw I think -- would NOT recommend it!). We would have been in the audience for a taping of Family Feud but we had to get back to Disney in time for Steve to take his written test. But at least we saw the actual time machine used in Back to the Future.

2. Steve took part in the hands-on part of the competition, i.e. pre-trip inspection on a truck with planted defects and then do the driving course. HOT. HOT. HOT. And HUMID. For all y'all not in humid situations, imagine how your bathroom feels after a nice steaming shower where you didn't open any windows or use a fan. And then add sweat. And heat radiating up from the blacktop when you actually are silly enough to stand in the sun. Yes, I had to go in the sun to get a decent video of Steve driving. I swear the heat came up from the ground and wrapped around my feet in their flip flops. The tops of my feet were in agony and I couldn't stand still after a couple minutes because my charcoal-colored shoes were literally burning even the bottoms of my feet. Ironically, my legs in their shorts were just fine in direct sunlight. Sorry, the only picture I got was of a judge who also happens to be with Steve's company. Later they were using hand towels to help ward off the heat.

3. We went to church and stopped by the Orlando temple on the way back (hey, it was directly on our route so why not?). That night there was an awards banquet where we found out that things were all messed up. Seriously! And it's not just because Steve didn't win a prize. =) He came close, though. With the points Steve earned, he was ONE point below third place. Considering these are the top drivers in the Food Industry, that's not too shabby (especially when you consider how big companies like Kraft and U.S. Foods are . . . and they only send their champions). But MAN! So close! Ah well, at least I sat in the right chair -- I got to take home the centerpiece! Okay, so I took home Mickey. =) And promptly gave him to Serene.

4. We stayed an extra day and went to Universal's Islands of Adventure this time. Wow. At least for the Harry Potter World and the Jurassic Park world. This park had various worlds in it, like Toon Lagoon (think comic strips), Suess Landing (yes, that would be Dr. Suess), Marvel Comics, The Lost Continent (think Sinbad-type stuff), Jurassic Park, and of course, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It all was fun, but especially for Jurassic Park and Harry Potter, it felt like you could actually be in the worlds the movies showed, not just a set for a movie.

So here's a few of my favorite cartoons:

Here's one of my favorite Suess stories, The Lorax:Part of Marvel land (for those not up on Marvel characters as they are in the comic books, Steve is with Rogue and Storm while I am with Wolverine . . . and if I look like I'm trying to get away, I am! The guy grabbed me and pulled me in so tight I swear I'd hate to meet him up a dark alley!):

Part of the Lost Continent (with the restaurant voted best in theme parks inside):

Jurassic Park:

This is the small-version of Hogsmead that sucked you in when you were there. Wow. I knew I was in a theme park, but man, when I was there, it felt almost real. At least when I left that area I felt a distinct sensation of coming back into the real (and less exciting) world. Steve and I both loved the Dragon Challenge coaster, but the virtual ride in Hogwarts . . . well, we loved the walk through the castle as we waited in line (how many rides can have people saying they loved the line??) since it took us from the dungens up through many parts of the castle. And the talking and moving pictures were incredibly done! However, come the ride, both of us turned out completely and totally sick. We were supposed to be flying with Harry Potter around the castle area and such. I usually can stand virtual rides (the Simpsons ride in regular Universal was fun), but this one actually moved you while also doing the screen thing. OI. I'm surprised the picture they snapped of us on the ride didn't show me obviously trying NOT to display my breakfast. Next time I'd stand in line all over again to see the castle and then skip the ride. Crazy, huh? The last thing we did at Islands of Adventure was do our last shopping for gifts for our kids. And me. =) For the record, yes, I stood in line to visit Ollivanders and hear him help with wand-choosing. And now I'm the proud owner of a cute willow wand with a unicorn hair inside. Oh, and Lucinda, after visiting Honeydukes and such, I have to say even more WOW!!!!! about your efforts at our family reunion! Some of the items in the shops could have come right off that table you set up in Providence!

A first birthday party

2010-08-31T09:34:00.001-07:00

Adria's half birthday

2010-08-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

So we've stared something a little weird but the kids seem to like it -- we celebrate HALF birthdays as well as birthdays. Call it a chance to try to teach the joy of giving, call it just being our crazy selves, but come somebody's half birthday, we give them $10 and drop them off at the dollar store to go crazy shopping for nine people . . . but NOT for themselves. It's like Christmas on a small scale for the rest of the family, and believe it or not, the giver even has a smile though they get nothing physical other than hugs. This last time was fun as usual and some of those presents were amazingly dead-on!

Storm . . . the Second

2010-08-19T17:30:00.000-07:00

So for the second time this summer, we have had terrific winds that last less than two minutes, followed by incredible destruction. Last time we watched as the rain was blowing directly north (NOT down, sideways), ripping limbs off our supposedly healthy tree out front and throwing them in the neighbor's yard. (We later found out it was actually a funnel cloud that just never touched down.) THIS time, the wind was blowing south (again sideways) and guess who got the limbs from our "healthy" tree? And oh by the way, our supposedly unhealthy and dying tree remained virtually untouched during both encounters -- why couldn't the wind have at least pruned that dead limb?

A point of interest, this time we also missed being outside in the mess by about half a minute. We were all walking down the street with a very light drizzle and were just ordering at our local fast food place when we heard the wind. And then, of course, by the time it was time to go home, everything was calm again. Except that at home, we had a few surprises.

Luckily, it was only a small branch that hit our garage.

Those of you who know my handsome husband know that he would never pass up such an opportunity to use his Suburban he's been getting ready for Moab. Not just to rip that branch the rest of the way off the tree (and to the road), but just to see if he could drive all the way over it. Verdict? Not quite. Made it with the front tires and past the transfer case, but that silly drive line on such a large vehicle just hung down too low. Ahhh. =)

Quiddich

2010-08-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

So we've been incredibly busy around here lately. My family had a reunion, which means all my siblings showed up with their families. No Aunts, Uncles, or Grandparents for me, but let me tell you -- with just my family, we had I think 49 people, only 19 of which were adults. Crazy? You bet! Fun? Definitely. A lot of catching up? Not really. =) Some, but it definitely motivated me to call my siblings more. I loved seeing everyone -- can't tell you how much that meant -- but I don't know if I even got to have a good conversation with each of them in the three days and nights we were together. But wouldn't have missed it for anything.

I'm only going to focus on the second afternoon of the reunion because most of the people who'd be interested in the rest were there, lol. bu that second afternoon . . . WOW! It was a birthday, so to celebrate, my sister treated us all to a magical day of Harry Potter. It started in the morning with invitations delivered by owl (our family got a beautiful snowy owl named Jeberkerderker . . . well, a picture of it at least), even written on parchment in green ink. Later, the festivities started with a tasting contest of different ice creams, courtesty of Florean Fortestcue, followed by a visit to Honeydukes. A goblin had handed out 5 galleons to each person before so they could buy candy. Okay, can I just say my sister made everything here, cases, cards, everything (her family helped). Even the Every Flavor Beans were created by her, since she decided actually buying the real ones might not go over too well with the younger kids who can't appreciate getting centipede or vomit mixed in with their chocolate jelly beans.The grand finale of the Harry Potter day was a couple quiddich matches -- first with the younger kids, then with the older kids and adults. Wow. Again, my sister made all the brooms, including the one for the referee, found a sorting hat that really talked and sorted, set up the goal rings, had people fill water balloons for bludgers (beaters threw water balloons in this version), and came up with a snitch even (a small ball attached to someone's belt, with the person running in and out of the game). It was wild, crazy, full-contact, wet, tiring fun! Sorry to my neices and nephews I ran over and fought over the ball as a chaser, though I definitely preferred chasing to being keeper! But again, wow!! And I've got to admit I never thought I'd ever hear myself yell, "Go Slytherin!" But yes, blue brooms were Slytherin and red were Gryffindor.

And now we're trying to get back into our normal routines while I fall absolutely in love with a scrapbooking program my sister recommended for digital scrapbooking. =) Toodles!

I can't wait until I'm eight . . .

2010-08-10T09:31:00.000-07:00

So yes, we have another 8-year-old! You all know what the white and the birthday stuff means, but the blanket may need interpretation. =) Steve's mom crochets afghans for all her grandkids when they turn eight. So this is Jessie's special one. Not a lot to say here, but so happy for our little girl and all her right choices!

Baby's learning!

2010-07-26T19:55:00.001-07:00

So I was almost finished unloading our dishwasher the other day when I realized I had company: Serene had decided she wanted the basket I was emptying of utensils, and apparently I wasn't working fast enough. Yes, the munchkin climbed up on the dishwasher to grab her preferred kitchen toy (with a spoon for good measure) and then calmly walked away again (okay, so she staggered as she toddled, but that IS her calm walk these days).

The Great Divide

2010-07-26T19:24:00.000-07:00

. . . of teeth. Little Simbug hadn't lost a tooth until a couple weeks ago and now -- whammo! We have gappage! Luckily, the toothfairy showed up each time and left compensation, although you gotta admit -- being able to stick your tongue out of your mouth while gritting your teeth is kind of compensation in itself!

Sunday nails

2010-07-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

So we're doing a few catch-up posts here.

Just had to share the reason why the menfolk in this household no longer allow themselves to fall asleep on a couch during our Sunday "quiet time." Crisha's the artist . . . and you should have seen when she managed to do all ten of her dad's toenails lime green!

Is there a point here?

2010-07-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

So why DO I blog? I could be writing in my journal. I could be scrapbooking or cross-stitching. I could be practicing my flute or ukulele or guitar or even Italian or French. I could be playing with my kids or cleaning my house or getting up my nerve to try and meet people around here. So why do I blog? Is it in the random chance someone actually reads this? Or cares about anything here? I care about what I write, but I could just as well sit here and talk to myself while I look at favorite pictures or find new backgrounds I like. Maybe it is time to get up and go. And quit talking.

Love my camera!

2010-07-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

So I have to say I love experimenting with my new camera. Well, new since Christmas. I'm still working on holding it still for close-ups, but even still! Look at the detail in these pics! Here we have the top of Jessie's jade plant, Jada;
a leaf from a cutting of Marina's purple passion plant, Monster Paws. And that last one is simply a leaf on our coffee table but I love how the texture adds to the background. =)

Just Because

2010-07-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

I had to put a pic of Marina here because it seems she gets shafted in the blog department. Not because she doesn't do things, but because her things are quieter than Crisha or Jessie's in-your-face antics. =) Which also made me realize I need to catch the quieter people in my household on camera more often as well since this was one of the few pics of Marina this year, at least by herself. Hmmm.

Quarter Basketball

2010-07-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

So one night Adria wanted to play Quarter Basketball, but she needed a teammate. Jessica volunteered.Here's how you play: you roll a quarter from your forehead down your nose and let it fly onto a paper where a circle was traced with a pencil around the quarter before. Each time you miss the circle, a new circle is traced around the quarter with a pencil and the player then tries for the new circle. Why all the circles, you ask?Ta da! The funny part is poor Jessie had no idea (even when posing for this picture) what was happening to her. It took a little bit to convince her that we were NOT making fun of her, just having a fun time all together. She was a good sport!

Miss Ya!

2010-07-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

So it's been almost four weeks since I've seen three of our kids, and Crisha only on weekends. Miss y'all!

Western Lights Tournament

2010-07-04T20:05:00.001-07:00

Jessie's having her first soccer tourna- ment with her new soccer team, Manic ATAC. The event is in Tooele, which is the worst I can say about it, that with the fact it took place over Thursday, Saturday, and Monday. What gives?

Jessie's been having fun, especially her second game where she played goalie; and her team has won their first two games, guaranteeing them a spot in the finals. (There are only four teams in her age group.) They've got a good little team and we're all excited for the girls.

What you get with a deep sleeper

2010-07-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

So the pictures pretty much tell their own story here. I just have to say I was NOT at fault -- it was Crisha's doing! (She also painted one of her Dad's nails silver later.) The funniest part was the fact that not only did Jenero sleep right through it all, he was up for a while and never noticed! I don't know how long it would have been until that happened, but I finally brought my camera to him and asked if he wanted to see Crisha's "artwork." He looked at the first picture of his foot and then looked down at the real thing. Poor guy! Can't even take an honest nap apparantly!

Who knew a jug of oil could be so much fun?

2010-06-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

Ramble

2010-06-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Who'd have thought I'd learn to like Hannah Montana? Not me! And yet I now have little (and sometimes not so little) girls asking to watch Hannah Montana episodes on Netflx . . . and I agree. As much as I don't like what Miley Cyrus had done to herself as she's grown up (the whole Disney girl who was so cute and innocent turned as sleezy as she can get scenerio), I'll admit the show was kinda cute and funny and clean. What a rarity these days! I don't know how many times I'll be watching a show or a movie with the kids and feel like I have to interject a comment like, "You know what they did was just totally wrong, don't you?" So I'll take Hannah Montana reruns or Magic Schoolbus or even X-Files. (No, the little ones don't watch those.) Although Jessie's favorite tonight as we made strawberry jam was Weird Al, Michael Jackson, and Miley Cyrus music videos from YouTube. What on earth did we do without the Internet? And to think it really hasn't been around that long for public use. Huh.

Soccer

2010-05-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple shots of Jessie from her rec soccer season. Yes, it's over, but she had so much fun she'd LOVE to do competitive soccer now (and I know a very good coach who'd love to have her!). I loved watching her progress from being almost scared of the ball and very polite with the other team to now being very good at taking the ball away from the other team and then just tearing up the field down to the goal. She learned to be a great goalie and an awesome forward. With lots of room to grow. =)

Parade

2010-05-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

Yay for Black and White Days! This is Richmond's big event every year and the kids had a blast! The whole thing actually starts mid-week with the cattle shows and sales (hence the black and white), but then on Saturday the horses take over and a whole slew of family activities abound. Okay, so we didn't participate in the hay bale throwing, cow pie eating contest, milking contest, and such; but we did have Marina and Jessica participate in the jumprope shows, not to mention taking advantage of train rides, food, etc. And, of course, in the evening came the parade.

Here's the Richmond float, complete with L'il Miss and Dairy Princess and attendants.

Not to mention the jumprope club doing their thing.

I scrambled about like any kid for candy since I promised Marina and Jessica I'd get them some, and Serene even had a blast . . . especially when Dad fed her part of a Twinkie he caught!

Serene Update

2010-05-13T07:43:00.001-07:00

Doesn't that face just make you want to laugh? I love her little expressions -- she has such personality! This picture here just makes me think of her being absolutely thrilled to get her hands all messy and stuff food in her mouth without anybody stopping her!

And yes, our little munchkin is pulling up on everything and standing to her heart's content. In fact, her favorite use for her walker is to be OUTSIDE of it, pull herself up, and then push it a little from that position.

Princess and L'il Miss

2010-05-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

So we have royalty in our family, don't you know? Here is Crisha in her first public appearance. Isn't she gorgeous?

And here's our L'il Miss -- aaahh! Ok, so there are eight, but they had a grand ole time since they all knew each other from school, soccer, and church. I love this community! And our Dairy Princess Attendant along with our L'il Miss will both appear in Black and White Days . . . along with our other jumproper who'll be with the Jumprope Club. Fun, fun! The little ones are even only a little bummed that being in the parade means they won't be on the sidelines to catch candy! But I'll be throwing it at them, lol!

Brotherly Love

2010-05-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

The rest of April

2010-05-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

So April has gone and with it three more birthdays in our family that I totally didn't update. I didn't even show you the cool cake I made Sim for his "friend party". So here is my attempt at getting caught up . . . just so I feel better. =)

Here's the Sim-Bug's birthday cake. He had a fish party, kind of. It degenerated until the only thing fishy about it was the cake, but it was fun to make and eat. The waves are fruit rollups cut up (I found out after attempting my first cut that those rollups had to be chilled to let themselves be cut), and then we just used Swedish fish to swim in our icing waves. I wanted different colored gummy fish but just couldn't find them. And no, I also didn't remember to get round cake pans in time -- hence the bundt pan.

Next we had Steve's birthday. Yay! I found what I wanted at a killer sale price, so I had that much more fun shopping. Yes, we now have better access to all kinds of fattening yumminess, but no one's complaining.

My birthday came and brought with it luxury. Maybe not all over, but let me tell you, this towel is the softest, thickest, most absorbent towel i've ever met (and I've known a lot of towels, lol). Seriously, it just sucks the moisture right off without rubbing or anything. So about once I day I get to feel totally pampered.

Jenero had the last April birthday in our house (I have to say that because family implies so much more, and if we get into extended family, April really begins to look loaded with birthdays).

Just had to

2010-04-22T11:59:00.000-07:00

Little Sim. I just had to add it to his birthday pics. =)

Sim's six!

2010-04-13T07:06:00.000-07:00

So our Simbug is six now! Hard to believe when I met him he was only 3. Is that right? Yes, I guess it is. We had our family party last night and he made out like a bandit . . . especially when you consider we're letting him have a friend party Friday as well. =) But thanks to his dad and me, his sisters, and yet another sister, Sim now has his desired sand tractors, a magnet play set (to try and keep him a LITTLE quiet during church!), a snorkel and mask set, and a dart gun.

And since we also now have a little mover who loves the modem lights, I'd better stop trying to type one-handed and just post the pictures. (Yes, she can crawl a little, although she prefers to wiggle and pull herself along with her little buff arms, lol.) S0 here's our six-year-old jumping bundle of energy!

The bit of farmer in me

2010-04-12T12:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, to start with, I know that's an old picture. But in my defense, I like that picture. Besides, Steve and I have so few pics together . . . I think the last one was at Christmastime.

I cannot believe it is only a little over a month till school is out! I was finally getting used to my schedule! Ah well, now at least the house will stay cleaner now that I'll get extra help around the house with the kids home more. And yes, that was a snicker you just heard. =)

So come May, we will have lived in our house one year. Yay!! And now that the snow is finally melting and showing MOST of my garden, it's time to till things up and plant things down. I couldn't wait for some -- I planted flower seeds in pots on my front porch where the frost won't get to them. Now I am absolutely chomping at the bit to put my garden in. Silly, really, as I hate maintaining a garden and normally get only token vegetables to show for most of it. But Steve and I have decided the farmer in my blood is definitely coming out, and not only from my impatience to plant a garden each year (despite hating to maintain it); but also since I get the biggest thrill from driving or walking by a newly tilled field. I just love smelling and seeing the dark, rich dirt all turned up and ready for planting! I love to think of how it would feel to run my fingers through the damp soil, how cool the earth would be, how satisfying it would be to plant something (anything!) and then to stand and just look at the newly packed rows of seeds ready to grow. I love the thought of moist dirt under my nails and clinging to the knees of my jeans. And when my digging in the dirt is done, I'll go mow my lawn and savor the smell of newly-cut grass and listen to my bovine neighbors across the way.

Yes, I love my country home. Even the smells of wandering skunks (though I think Jessie and I are the only ones who are in agreement here!). Now here's hoping I can actually do someting beneficial with said home, yard, and garden this spring and summer! And yes, I do think spring is actually coming -- when I was out pruning rosebushes, a very few limbs had the beginnings of buds! Yay!

Watch his top lip . . . =)

2010-03-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

2010-03-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

Steve swears that Serene's life is going to end up documented minute-by-minute. It is not!! Of course, I do have to share the following bits of her life:

Serene working herself under the rocking chair . . .
Serene working herself under her afghan as she sleeps (those are her fingers poking through) . . .And Serene while her sisters played with her hair! =)

Baby update

2010-03-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

Wow! I can't really believe we've had our newest tax deduc- tion for six months now! She's getting big, though not as big as the baby boys around here (20 lbs at 4 months and 14 lbs at 2 months are two exam- ples of what Rich- mond water does in our ward alone). Serene's only 15 lbs but Jenero swears she gets fatter every day, lol! And yes, she's rolling all over, both ways, every which way (it's her major means of transportation right now); but she's also now able to stay on her stomach and drag herself around in a circle until she's pointed where she wants to go . . . and she then tries to get up and go! So far she's only managed to get her legs under her for a moment or two before she collapses, but aaagh! My little baby's going to be crawling before you know it! And with as much as she LOVES to jump up and down for hours on end (hey! it seems that way when I'm balancing her under arms), I have a feeling that it won't be long after she crawls that we'll have a little walker around here. Sorry, I didn't do her hair for these pictures, but we normally don't do curls and bows for staying around home. =) Besides, now you get to see Serene's magic trick -- she can appear to be a boy, lol!

You know, it's funny how much her personality's developed right along with her physical growth. Serene is the happiest baby every time she wakes up, whether it's from a nap or a night's sleep. When we go in to get her she's normally talking to herself, and when she hears us come in, she gets the biggest grin on her face and starts wiggling all over her crib in her blankets. The little kids call this "Happy Morning Baby," and they beg to come in her room when I hear her wake up in the morning to see "Happy Morning Baby." Serene also loves her afgans Mom and Karna made for her; in fact, she only calms down for a nap now when she had her crib, pacifier, and one of her afgans on top of her so she can rub her face on it. Aaaaah! What else? Serene loves all her siblings, and they all adore her right back. She's definitely become a central part of all our lives.

Happy Thirteen!

2010-03-03T12:48:00.000-08:00

So we officially have another teenager in our house. =) Of course, there's not much difference between 12 and 13 since she's still a Beehive, still in middle school, and still is not allowed to wear makeup. (Come on, Dad!) So here's to Adria! And yes, Crisha made the headband, complete with changeable flowers.

SORRY -- IT'S A DOLL

2010-02-22T09:08:00.000-08:00

I blame Steve. He wanted to see how far we could go with Crisha's stint at being a parent, but I've got to explain now -- Desmond is a doll that is extremely high tech that is used for Crisha's adult roles class at school. Desmond cries when he's hungry, dirty, sleepy, etc., and only Crisha with her sensor bracelet was able to take care of him and figure out what he needed each time he cried. So in a way, she truly got the full experience of being a mom (with Serene, she can hand her off when she gets fussy), but no . . . she didnt' keep him. =)

Weclome Desmond and congrats new mom!

2010-02-19T11:37:00.000-08:00

Do I HAVE to get up?

2010-02-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

Ramblings of nothing in particular

2010-02-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

Here it is, Saturday night, and I am dead tired by seven. Of course, Serene got me up around three thirty this morning several times what with being sick and having what sounded like absolutely terrifying baby dreams, and I haven't rested since. And yet I feel like I've done so little today. How is that? Why is it the days when you're busiest, it seems like you get the least done? And that's with most of the kids gone and not needing that extra attention today. Hmmm. Ah well. Funny how I can still enjoy days like this. After all, it won't be like this for long. In a couple ways. Serene will grow up and not need comforting when she's sick and scared, the other kids will be back tomorrow with all that that entails. =) So right now I'll sign off, make myself some hot cocoa or eat some Aggie Chocolate English Toffee ice cream (or do both in reverse order most likely), and enjoy letting myself crash from exhaustion. And next week may be full of busy, arguing, laughing, energetic kids, but hey! With any luck, at least the baby will be back to sleeping through the night.

New Arrivals

2010-01-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

We have new additions to our family circle! Meet Brutus.Okay, here's a better shot, though it still doesn't show just how beautiful and rich his colors truly are. He's more a deep, royal blue with some golden-red highlights.
We also have a little frog to keep Brutus company (someone who can live in the same tank as our Beta and live to tell the tale), but Ollie likes to stay in his little cave we bought him. When he does come out, he's partial to the bubbles and likes to swim near them. Fun stuff! I did try to take a picture of Brutus underwater, but he's a little shy and kept showing me his tale. But my CAMERA did awesome! Once I got over being terrified of putting it in the water, lol. Hey, it's made for it! It even has four underwater settings, lol.

Anyway, we're all loving our new family. Just wanted to share. =)

Beautiful Snow

2010-01-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

It's snowing today! Hooray! We have had such a dry winter with just a couple or three real snowfalls that this is VERY much appreciated. I love the flakes falling lazily down, or even hurtling down as they are now. I love watching the kids stomp off to school right through the yard in their boots and laughing as they can't resist pelting a snowball or two at each other. I love watching the baby's reaction as she watches the falling white stuff and feels snow on her face. I miss seeing a clear sky with trees heavily frosted outlined against it, but in many ways, this is better anyway. Yes, I love winter. I've missed a lot of it this winter since I get to stay inside with Serene a lot (she drools and spits up almost constantly which means she'd have a nice coating of ice if we went outside for longer than five minutes), but I intend to get out and take advantage of this snow this time. We've been paying the kids to watch Serene when we go out (mostly Xeneea since she's saving for a school Yellowstone trip) -- maybe they won't mind an added paycheck. =) And maybe Steve will let me use his slick sled!

First Hurdle

2010-01-14T09:22:00.000-08:00

So out comes all my FBA (functional behavior analysis) training. The Simbug, much as we love him, has had just a BIT of trouble following directions . . . or choosing to, shall we say. So we're starting our own program of reinforcing for following instructions the FIRST time they're given and ignoring when he doesn't since he's motivated by attention (even ignoring his collossal tantrums. And yes, that's the truly hard part!). We make it easy to earn rewards at first to show we're actually going to dish them out rather than having empty promises, and then we go from there. So here is Sim after he has completed his first small milestone and earned his piece of gum this morning. He's not perfect yet, of course, but it's already an improvement. Yay! Now if we can just keep finding what's reinforcing for him, we may be able to bring his mind back on track and hopefully get rid of all those not so desireable outbursts, lol! Let's hear it for FBA, probably one of the best things to come out of my SPED training. =)

I'm . . . dreaming . . . of a . . . lifted 4X4 for Moab . . .

2010-01-08T18:00:00.001-08:00

So we can dream, right? As we don't have the lift kit needed for our Suburban yet (or the larger tires and rims), Steve settled for creating a vehicle out of Leggos that can twist and climb with the best of them. Check out those wheels!

4,100 Pages

2010-01-08T17:56:00.000-08:00

Finished today!! Started middle of August, lol. And amazingly enough, she's read other books, too along the way. But she is now (and has been for a while now) the undisputed Harry Potter expert in her 3rd grade class. Yay sweetie!

Here's to a new type of life

2010-01-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

So how does everyone say 2010? Twenty-ten? Two thousand ten? I think I'm the latter simply because the last ten years have had a two thousand in them. Hmmm. These and other meaningless thoughts. =)

So sorry to everyone I didn't call or send a gift to this Christmastime. I'll admit I've been a little scatterbrained with everything this year (NOT working or going to school, pregnancy, starting Sim in school, new baby, etc. Strangely enough, they've all been big adjustments), but hopefully I can at least improve this year, lol.

Our family has decided to try and get healthier all around. Yes, that means get rid of junk food, keep healthy snacks, try for desserts only once a week, eating right all around, and exercising. And some of us have a weight-loss (or gain) goal in there. Remember Body For Life? It's still out there, and I still swear by it. And now that my baby is four months old and the holiday goodies are gone, I have NO excuse not to follow it again. I'll admit I got off when I was in school and teaching in classrooms simply because neither of those lifestyles are conducive to five mini-meals and LOTS of water (teachers just don't get bathroom breaks!). I've tried to keep up the exercising part, but it's nice to be joined by others now. I remember how good I felt when I was following the Body For Life program religiously, and I want to feel that good and have that energy again. So here we go! On to lower fat levels, more muscle mass, not to mention more energy! Care to join in? Here's day 2.

Our little Kissable is letting me know she does NOT approve of my typing any longer, so I'll sign off for now. Consider this my documenting my new goal so I can't back out! =)

Christmas Part II

2010-01-02T14:59:00.000-08:00

So I have pictures of when we had all the kids finally home and we opened the last of our presents together . . . but I decided this was really more what Christmas is about for us. Sure, we all love presents and especially the thoughts behind them (btw, Erika and Glenn, the kids all loved your gifts, especially being from the Old City!!), but even more, we all love the doing things together. And in Logan, that mainly means getting close and personal with the snow, lol!

Everyone remember our snowman? About nine feet tall, made with really heavy, compact, wet snow? WELL . . . as impressive as that was, look what we have now! This was done about dusk while snow was falling, so even my wonderful camera had a hard time with the snow setting in that light. And by daylight, the finished product (thus far). Yay!

Merry Christmas (Part I)

2009-12-26T21:10:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! It was the quietest Christmas I can remember for a long time, but still fun for all of that. =) Here are some shots of each of us with one of our gifts from Christmas morning:

Steve-oh, with his oh-so-cool sled. (Watch out world! Not to mention those punks on Old Main, lol.)

Me, being completely spoiled by my husband. Behold the waterproof, shockproof, practically kidproof camera! With settings for just about every situation of picture taking, including self-portraits, candlelight, fireworks, night lights, underwater . . . way too much fun.

And the munchkin. Sure, she loved her spoons and cereal and high chair; but nothing could compare to the wrapping paper! Wheeee! (Okay, so the first munchkin picture is from a couple days ago when she unwrapped her Grandma and Grandpa ornament . . . but it's still cute!)

Once there was a snowman . . .

2009-12-24T20:43:00.000-08:00

So here is Steve's masterpiece (with some help from yours truly with the stacking).

And here is Marina for perspective the extremely warm winter's day after the night we built him. (Remember, the blonde is about four feet tall.) Don't worry, our snowman's not too concerned with his looks as he ages (i.e. melts). =)

Little Trickster

2009-12-16T19:29:00.000-08:00

Jessica has loved being in her jumprope club these last few months. Tonight they had their equivalent of a recital. And here's one of Jessie's solos. And FYI, she was so not feeling well tonight after having had stomach troubles all day, but she was determined to do her part anyway.

And after she was done, she threw up.

No, she's not going to school tomorrow.

I love my kids!

2009-12-14T06:06:00.000-08:00

This morning I got up after many arguments with myself, fed the baby, put the baby back to bed, exercised, and then went out and shoveled our snow. Again. When I came in, it was time for the little kids to get up (the older ones got up while I was shoveling snow). When I was trying to convince Jessica and Marina to get up, amid many groans, I had to laugh and say, "Hey, I've already exercised AND shoveled the walk!" Jessica tilted her head backwards to look up at me and said, "You're a good mommy." Ah shucks. Now if I could only be that all the time. =)

Would you eat a spoonful of horseradish for $2.00?

2009-12-09T07:06:00.000-08:00

So once again we had a fun night of seeing what the human body can endure for money. Steve offered anyone two dollars if they could eat a spoonful of horseradish sauce, keep it in the mouth for five seconds, and then swallow (no spitting out!). Even Crisha's friend got coerced into doing it. So here's the results. =)

Take your pick for the funniest reaction, but hands down, Sim had the most unexpected one. None! That's our little half-blood Mexican! That kid can eat anything hot and it doesn't phase him. Guess I should have seen that one coming, right? =)

Family!!

2009-12-01T07:19:00.001-08:00

So here's our family that was up here Thanksgiving day. Yay! We had a fun time (well, I did), and I discovered how Mom and Dad feel when we all gather at their house in Providence. Okay, so I kinda found out . . . Mom and Dad have just a bit bigger family. But hey! We had the typical feast with lots of yummy turkey, potatoes, gravy, veges, etc. And dessert. And more dessert. And still more dessert. After all, what's a feast for? And don't worry, we played several games to help keep us away from food part of the time and then wear off at least some of those delicious calories! =)

Christmas With a Capital C

2009-12-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I normally don't do the whole Christian Rock thing, but I have to admit I enjoyed this clip. So hey, enjoy! Or if you don't enjoy it, imagine me with a silly grin listening to it instead. =)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAckfn8yiAQ

Get out of my way!

2009-11-14T20:39:00.001-08:00

So I laugh at this one every time I see it. Doesn't she just look like she's ready to sock someone? =) (Sorry it's a little blurry.)

Okay, here's the real Serene. Most of the time, lol.

Party, party!

2009-11-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

So today was full of fun! Since it was the most doable time for parties for both our November birthday girls, that's what we did! Marina had a snake-themed party complete with all kinds of snake games from snake freeze tag to stick the tongue on the snake (created by Marina herself, but can you tell Jessie got closest? Body language tells all). And her party ended with lunch and cake in the shape of a snake . . . and somehow she also got a giant plush pink snake from us! Wow. So even though we remain firm on the no real snake policy (imagine if we got each of our kids a pet -- we'd be in a zoo!), she still gets some of what she loves. Go slithery, winding, hissing critters!

So after all that fun, who wouldn't want another party that night? Well, Xeneea organized this one, and it seemed like they had fun with min imal fuss. Just birthday cake and singing, then off to ice skating at the rink. And I will admit it was probably a lot more fun in an indoor rink than I remember having at an outdoor one . . . especially since it's been snowing most of the day today (and the last several days on and off). (And oh by the way, Xeneea's cake originally was several chocolate cupcakes, but for some reason they burnt on the bottoms . . . but she said she was fine with the little cake made with leftover batter in a cake pan. Just FYI, lol!)

So hey! Happy 9th and 14th, even if we are a trifle early! =)

Where I'd love to be if school schedules and baby schedules allowed

2009-11-10T10:32:00.001-08:00