Back in the Saddle

I think every post needs a picture, and today things are back on schedule and I'm feeling
back in the saddle again.

(And I just so happen to have a picture that works.)

Mauri went back on track yesterday. She had been out of school since before Christmas (which for some reason feels like a really really long time ago).

On Good Morning America the other day there was a story about a mom who made a dinner menu for the entire year. This struck a chord with me because I have tried FOR YEARS to have some kind of a menu system that works so grocery shopping and dinner prep are easier. I would succeed for a month or two, then fizzle.

Once again I have been inspired.  

Not only by the news story of the awesome woman who can make a menu for a year, but by this quote by another amazing woman, Sister Julie B. Beck:

The most valuable time of the day for a family is the afternoon/evening shift.
"Be at the top of your game on swing shift. People are hungry, people are teachable. You feed them; that's when you serve them the most. Plan for the swing shift, and then work the rest of your day around that."

I know I can't make a menu for a whole year... there are too many variables... but I am back to trying a simplified menu system that I think I can maintain.
Dinnertime is back
with less YOYO ("you're on your own") nights.

I also exercised today.

For the first time since the middle of November.  

I definitely need to work on my strength and endurance.

I was dripping with sweat after the first 5 minutes.
My goal is simple: just 3 times a week.

But I'm back.

In the saddle.

Again.

BYU Gear Anyone?

Britta had mentioned to us a while back that she had been approached at work (the BYU Bookstore) about posing for a picture to be used in an ad for BYU gear.  They told her it would probably appear in the winter BYU Magazine.  She asked us to keep an eye out for her, since she didn't know where she would find a copy.

This last Sunday as we talked to her on Skype (my first time, and my new favorite thing),

she showed us her ad -- not in the BYU Magazine -- but in this:

She said she could get lots of copies, and I told her to send us some. I would still keep my eye out for the magazine.

Yesterday morning, at the YW basketball game (which was intense, as usual, but maybe more so because we had a little family drama AND no real refs), I sat next to a nice brother who happened to have the winter BYU Magazine under his chair.  
I asked if I could look at it.  He kindly said yes.  
I searched for a BYU gear ad... and found it. Some other girl. The ad was not nearly as cute.
(Yes, that is the opinion of a MOTHER, so it is a fair [to me] assessment.

Here is Britt's ad:

I love it and think BYU should consider her for more advertisements. Although she should get paid {wink}.
  

It made me miss her even more.  Only one apron string is cut right now, I'm keeping the other sewn on nice and tightly for the time being.

Cake Meltdown

We had the biggest laugh the other night while celebrating Bill's birthday.

Again, our festivities began late in the evening...

I had made Bill his favorite cake:

German Chocolate.

I had shopped for candles at the party store earlier that day, but they wanted $2.99 for a pack of 12. I needed too many candles and wasn't willing to pay that much for some pretty average-looking candles, and didn't have the time to hit the Target next door.
I knew I had enough candles at home -- they just may not match (you know, candles left over from many other birthdays that weren't needed... 4 here, 2 there...). I'd saved them in hopes I could use them someday.

Well, that day had come.

I actually think it made a pretty nice display.

Once the candles were lit (the whole family pitched in), we noticed that the candles were having a meltdown.  And they were going FAST.  

"Hurry, Dad.... blow 'em out!"

So Bill blew.  Then those little random left-over trick candles re-lit.  Bill blew again.

They re-lit, again and again. Once here, one there.

Bill finally resorted to pinching the flames out. We (the kids and I) were laughing our guts out. I think it was funnier than usual because the candles were making such a mess on the cake, and Bill was in such a hurry to get them out. And perhaps we were all at that point beyond tired where EVERYTHING has more drama.

Once the candles were finally out, we had to scrape all the wax off the cake before enjoying. I have to admit, it was probably the best German chocolate cake I've ever made. And I was glad for the candle incident -- it definitely added life to our party.

44 Things

I have been blessed to have such a wonderful husband. And since today he is turning the magical age of 44, I came up with the following:

44 Things I Love About You:

1.  You make me laugh

2.  You are a great husband

3.  You are a wonderful father

4.  You honor your Priesthood

5.  You work hard

6.  You provide well

7.  You don't drink caffeinated drinks

8.  You help others

9.  You give your best to your church callings

10.  You get along with other people

11.  You think the best of other people

12.  You listen to my complaints

13.  You listen to my gossip, and you DON'T pass it on

14.  You listen when you are really tired and would rather go to sleep

15.  You watch silly shows with me (Project Runway... Survivor... American Idol...)

16.  You cry in movies

17.  You cry while sharing your testimony

18.  You clean toilets when needed

19.  You do the dishes

20.  You call when you are on your way  home

21.  You help carpool kids when you're available

22.  You make phone calls that I don't want to
23.  You answer phone calls that I don't want to

24.  You sing in church

25.  You save us seats in church on Sundays

26.  You take me out on Fridays

27.  You care about your waistline

28.  The way you let me know when you've had enough popcorn (uuuhhhh!)

29.  You share your notes from Priesthood meetings

30.  You support me as a mother

31.  You miss our kids ("Our nest is emptying!")

32.  You support our children in their interests and activities

33.  You coach our kids' soccer teams

34.  You take pictures of our kids, even if it means getting in front of a crowd to do it

35.  You video tape family memories (we wouldn't have any if it wasn't for you)

36.  Your gray hair

37.  Your blue/gray/green eyes

38.  Your laugh

39.  The way you ask if what you are wearing matches okay

40.  The way you like whatever I make for dinner and tell me I'm a good cook, even if the kids won't eat it.

41.  Your encouragement

42.  Your kisses

43.  Your desire to do your best and give your all

44.  Your love for me

Happy Birthday, baby!  

There will be Chicago-style pizza and German Chocolate cake waiting for you when you get home from work.  

I love you!

Mission Break

We got news last week that Taylor had broken his arm.

Again.

For the 10th time since he was 8 years old.

How do you break your arm while serving a mission?
You show some of the kids that live by your apartment how you can kick it on a skateboard.

In your church shoes, dress pants and tie.

Then maybe they'll listen to your message.

Elder Syddall had a lot to say about the quality of his cast.
He would know, we've been to countless orthopedic specialists.

The last few casts Taylor and I have critiqued.  
We feel qualified.

We know when it's a good or bad wrap job.

We've chosen cast colors together
(at least I've provided advice -- please, no pink!)

He's had waterproof and non-waterproof casts.
Oh, and we won't forget the water-proof cast that wasn't.
(The doctor did it wrong, which I mentioned when we returned a week later with the stinkiest cast ever.)
"I don't think you are supposed to use a sock," I said.
"I think I know what I'm doing." was the response.
"Just don't get it wet."

At one time, Taylor had injuries to BOTH arms.  That was a joy.

I asked one of those orthopedic specialists if there could be some kind of bone-weakness genetic thing going on 
(Bill had broken his legs 5 times as a youth).

"Maybe a clumsy gene,"was the doctor's response.

Maybe Taylor just needs to perfect his fall?  Or be a little less reckless?

I keep thinking the days of casts will end.  I keep hoping THIS cast will be the last.

I have come to realize that may not happen, but I love that boy anyway.

Swim Lessons

Mauri and Lauren signed up for swim lessons while they are off-track.

Lucky for us, the online registration glitched and they got a class all to themselves.

The only downside?  The water aerobics class that ended right before the lessons did.

With lots of old ladies that have apparently lost all sense of modesty.

Literally, some of those ladies walk around the locker room butt-naked.

(Could you use a towel??)

We would try to find a locker near the door -- the ladies seemed to avoid that area.

The lessons served several purposes:
Exercise 

(those girls swam a ton of laps)
Education 

(they passed level 4 and are moving on)
Worthwhile activity

(so they didn't spend the entire day just playing
and a jolt of reality

(yes, that's what you're going to look like at age 70).


Oh, and look what I found:

I knew I couldn't have missed TWO years... oh happy day.

Emotional Eating

I have the munchies today.
"You're not hungry," I tell myself.  

That only lasts so long.

"If you're going to eat, at least eat something healthy."
So I've had wheat crackers with cheese and apples, a diet soda, a skinny cow ice cream sandwich -- that's healthy, right?? -- and a bowl of edamame.

I didn't get the fulfillment I was looking for, so I went for the candy cupboard:  8 leftover Milk Duds and 3 sour-filled Twizzlers.  

I'm feeling a little better.

As I have tried to analyze WHY I feel the need to munch today, I have come up with the following reasons:

Lexee has her court date today. I don't have to go with her, Bill has promised to be there. But there is still a little anxiety that something will come up at work resulting in my need to rush to the Town Hall to face the judge with Lex.
YIKES.

We got Taylor's email yesterday and found out that he had broken his arm and was getting transferred to "the most dangerous zone of the mission."
GREAT.

I'M STILL doing laundry from yesterday. I SHOULD do the ironing, but really don't want to. I COULD be painting my kitchen table, but feel that it's too big of a project for the time I have available.

I really wanted to take advantage of my easier morning schedule (while Mar's off-track) to go back to bed this morning and catch up on some much-needed sleep, but Shilo had forgotten some items she needed for 2nd period and needed me to get dressed and get them to her asap. Maybe I'm just feeling rebellious because my plan was foiled.

Regardless, I'm DONE MUNCHING FOR TODAY.

Meet Tweety and Buddy, Mauri's pet parakeets:

Late Night Celebration

The picture promised yesterday:

And a run-down on the celebrations:

Dinner at Red Robin,

Movie The Princess and the Frog at 9pm
(we had the whole theater to ourselves -- it was the late movie)

Then finally, cake and presents

at 11:09 pm

We will eat cake and ice cream sometime today.

We were too tired and too full to enjoy it at midnight.

364 more days.

My Baby's Getting Older

Today is Mauri's Birthday.

Unfortunately, Mauri was born before the days of digital (at least before we ever had it haha),

and since I have once again over-scheduled my day, I am resigned to sharing only what I have readily available 
(without the need for scanning):

the digitals.

When Mauri was born, I started a tradition of taking her picture with a certain little bear.

I'm not sure WHO gave it to us, but it has become the marker by which we measure her growth.  

For the first year of her life I took a picture every month with the bear.  
Of course, those pictures were good old 35mm, thus not available at this moment.

As I was looking through the digitals, I realized for the first time that we must have missed a couple of years.

I don't know how it happened... I thought I had been so diligent.  
So I am consoling myself by thinking the pictures are obviously SOMEWHERE...
just not in my current photo library.  It's a bummer, but not to overshadow the fact that my sweet youngest daughter is turning 9. 

Today.

3 years old

4 years old

5 years old -- a no bear year :(

6 years old  (two years in a row without a bear?  I just don't believe it.  
That's why I think the pictures just must be in digital limbo)

7 years old

8 years old


So sometime today we will be taking a picture.  With the bear.
I will post it tomorrow, promise.


I love you, Mauri!

Sweet Agreeable Shilo

I have to recant.

Shilo came home from school, read my latest entry, and said,

"Mom, I liked the Split Pea Soup."

"Did you like it enough to have me make it again?" I asked.

"Yes."

What a sweetheart.
I still don't think I will be purchasing any more split peas.

Does this even LOOK appetizing?

Cooking Under Pressure

I briefly went on facebook the other day.

I read that my sister-in-law...

...got a pressure cooker for Christmas. Guess what?? 
I got one, too!
I thought I was probably the only woman in the world who would ask for something like that for Christmas.

I watch Iron Chef America... and I've learned how handy those things can be.

Here it is... isn't it beautiful?

It's already found a home in my cupboard
(after the removal of my gigantic food processor -- also a Christmas gift from a few years back, however not as loved).

After reading the instruction manual, I made some really great mashed potatoes.

Then I went to the library and got this:

Shilo was impressed that there even was a Pressure Cooker for Dummies book.

I had the great idea to try the Split Pea Soup recipe (since I HAD the split peas and some leftover frozen ham from Christmas).

I loved Split Pea Soup growing up.

The soup turned out awesome with just 10 minutes of high pressure.

But I learned something...

My family doesn't LIKE Split Pea Soup.
So I made a note to never purchase split peas again,

no matter how good of a food storage item they are.  I will be eating Split Pea Soup for the next week and a half, and after that,
I won't even like it.
I am thrilled, however, with my Christmas gift.

A New Year

What we did to celebrate:

Mauri and Lauren prepared all day...

they got their noise-makers and party hats out early in anticipation of the midnight hour

Bill and I hit a 7 o'clock movie,

and were home in plenty of time to...

...help with the breakfast the Bishop (also our neighbor) provides for the youth in our ward following the New Years Dance.

Shilo spent the evening with the younger youth (not old enough to attend the dance) at the Bishop's house. We just happened to be there to help her welcome the New Year properly.

Britta and Austin went to the 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver to watch the fireworks...

(and maybe make a few of their own)

...they did NOT wear the party hats, and ONLY put them on when they returned home.

(at my insistance)

Lexee, who remains pictureless, attended the dance and had a great time. We saw her only briefly at the Bishop's house following the dance, but then Bill and I headed home before the party ended. Lex ended up staying there until 3:00PM the next day.

We were excited to welcome a New Year... and even more excited to finally hit the sack once all the festivities were over.