Fuzz

I can't believe this week is already GONE.  I should be glad, as it's not been the best week anyway.  Maybe it's because I ran out of my hormone cream for a few days and am still suffering withdrawals (I'd like to think I'm not dependent on it, you know).  THAT is the probable reason, as I have found "hormones" to be my numero uno go-to excuse these days.  All with legitimate hormone-level-testing proof for back-up.
(I think my family is getting tired of hearing it, however.)

I will oh-so-quickly capture the week anyway.  There HAS been some good stuff going on too.

In a word:  FUZZ

For starters, peach fuzz.

We just happened to visit Bill's parents at the ideal time to harvest peaches from their heavily-laden tree.    Bill and I, up early and in our pjs on a Sunday morning, picked to our hearts content while the pups frolicked around the yard (so Norman Rockwell - not).  To prolong their longevity, we needed to pick them at the very last moment before packing up and heading back to CO.  We protected them (and the pups) from the heat of the car while we attended Taylor and Lynnea's Sacrament Meeting by carefully carrying (so as not to bruise them) the single-layer boxes into the coolness of their apartment to await our return.  They made the long trip home Sunday evening, and have been delighting us ever since.  I have made cobblers and pies daily (packing on the pounds, might I add... or is that the hormone cream?  Like I said - the excuse for EVERYTHING).  Today there are 10 very soft - but still fuzzy - peaches sitting on my countertop.  The last of the spoils.  YUM!

I posted my favorite Granny's Peaches and Cream Cobbler back here (which, btw, I've made TWICE this week), but branched out and tried a couple of pie recipes.  We have a clear winner (I love it when that happens):  Peaches and Cream Pie with Sugar Cookie Crust (I know... I can't resist the phrases "peaches and cream" and "sugar cookie [anything]").  

I will post the recipe sometime next week.  At least that's the plan, barring an attack of the next kind of fuzz around here this week:  brain fuzz.

I have been working a little bit for mi amor this week.  A little assembly-line work (tediously putting 10 golf tees in small plastic zipper bags, cutting and stapling labels, then taping them to a flyer to be distributed at a BYU Alumni Golf Tournament Bill's company was sponsoring) - helped immensely by my Girl Friday, Lex; and a little research and Align Group blogging work, culminating in a decision today to go with a different blog type (even after many hours of researching and reading complicated descriptions and explanations online, I won't even pretend to know what I'm talking about... hosts, servers, yadda yadda yadda).  It has left me mentally fuzzy-er than I was when I started.
Note:  I am back on the hormone cream and optimistic that it will help.  A little.

I can't forget my fuzzy friends, the pups, still confined to their play yard for much of the day.  

See?  Kids like it too ;-)

They glimpsed freedom while we were at Grandma and Grandpa's house:  a fenced yard with plenty of things to explore - some not-so-good, like rotten apples, peach pits, and the neighborhood litter box under their trailer.  Bill kindly picked up what he could find, even digging through the litter box (a concerted effort put forth after the first day to avoid further puppy puking incidents).  We hope to get a fence in soon.  Like in the next two weeks.  FENCE = FREEDOM, for me AND the pups.

Finally, I can't think of FUZZ without thinking of my nephew Nate (his nickname, thanks to a wild head of fuzzy hair as an infant), and I can't think of Nate without thinking of my nephew Sam, who returned home (kind of - to Provo, his home away from home) from his mission Thursday evening.

Welcome home, Sam!

Bright spots amongst the fuzz.  Gotta love that.

To and Fro

We have done a lot of TO AND FRO this past weekend.

"To and fro" is an often-used phrase around here, especially by Bill (who I believe uses it in place of "to and from," which, in my opinion, is not necessarily always the right context).  Every time I hear it, I think of that funny little song from Disney's The Sword In The Stone - a favorite part of a 6-hour video tape of various child-friendly shows lovingly dubbed by Grandma Syddall for her first grandchild back in the early 90's.

We made a quick trip to Utah for our neighbor, Brendon's wedding.  The Billats have not just been our neighbors, they have been awesome friends.  When we moved to Colorado 10-1/2 years ago, they extended their friendship warmly and immediately (to the relief of my shy children).  Our similar families matched up perfectly (until Chase came along - who substitutes as a little brother for us every now and then), and it has been a blessing to have a house across the street that I feel comfortable with my children spending countless hours at.  

And they have.

Once we had made the decision to make the trip, Lex and Shi found coverage for their work shifts, then Thursday after school we popped the pups in the car and were off, reaching Bill's parent's home around midnight.  (TO)  

A post for another day: Traveling with Pups.

During the day on Friday, Bill worked while my MIL, the girls, and I shopped.  Lest you think it was all for a good time, I was shopping for dress pants, a white shirt, and tie for Bill, as we had left his suit hanging on the door frame in our bathroom at home.  (FRO)

Friday night we attended Brendon's wedding dinner in Springville.  (TO)

It was great to meet up with Taylor and Lynnea, and Britta and Austin.  Even though it hadn't been that long ago since we saw them last, it felt much, MUCH longer.  The dinner was delicious, and it was fun to see the sweet video Hailey put together of Brendon and Danielle.  When the evening was over, we made the trek back to WVC, where Bill's parents were so kind to 'sit the dogs.  (FRO)

Saturday morning we headed over to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple.  (TO)

The girls snapped a few pictures outside while they were waiting.

They took some beautiful pictures of the flowers around the temple.  Mar was amazed at the skill with which she demonstrated her newly discovered talent.

Some of these boys haven't changed much from the days they all hung around my house ;-)  

Lynnea listened so politely as they reminisced, retold and relived the good ol' days.

After group pictures at the temple, we headed off to Britt and Austin's house for lunch, mingling, and relaxation.  (FRO)  Grandpa and Grandma showed up a little later with Cecelia, who was immediately passed from one pair of arms to another.

Before we knew it, it was time to head to Brendon's reception back in Springville.  (TO)

Tay wore his 4th tux of the year - and looked as good as ever.

As the evening wound down, we talked about stopping by the reception of my cousin's daughter in Orem, but, after an informative discussion of what a "second cousin" is (we are all clear now, thanks to wikipedia), the girls opted not.  I would have loved to go, but agreed it might be awkward if we hit it right at the end, especially with our somewhat large-ish group, so we headed back to WVC.  And the pups.  (FRO)

Sunday morning Tay and Lynnea were talking in church (score!) so we headed to Orem to attend their Sacrament Meeting.  (TO)

After enjoying the meeting (great talks, you two!) and the robust singing of the congregation (apparently we are lacking that element in our ward, as the difference was quite distinct), we climbed back into the car and headed back to CO via I-80, hoping to avoid the inevitable traffic jam in the mountains on I-70 on a Sunday night.  (FRO) After the nearly 9-hour trip, we weren't sure if we had chosen wisely.

Congratulations to all the newlyweds this week AND the parents (Billats, Wises, and Frys) of the newlyweds! 

First Days

I'm now down to TWO.  

The last time I had only two children in the public school system was 14 years ago.  Fourteen!  And it's been 19 years since I've had no children in elementary school.  I'm not going to lie and say it went by fast... looking back I can clearly see the marathon it's been.  

Mar's first day was yesterday.

All the links were gone from her countdown chain, and she couldn't wait to get out the door.

(Shi did her fancy fingernails.)

Mar liked it so much, she told me this morning that she was sad when the school day was over yesterday.
We'll see how long that lasts ;-)

Shi's first day of school was today.
She started Seminary today, too, a first around here.  In the past, Seminary has started the second week of school.  Parents are invited the first day, so Bill did the honors so I could get Mar to school on time.  My battery was low in the camera, and it was a tad dark outside, so my pics didn't turn out as well as I would have liked.

(Shi got her license just in the nick of time.  Hallelujah.)

Lex will be hanging out with me until she leaves for school at BYU-I in January.  Hopefully she can get a few more hours at work.  Otherwise, I'll have me a little house cleaning buddy.

Oh yeah.

You Get What You Pray For

I recently made a goal to blog less (which always seems to include catching up on other blogs in the process), Pinterest less (only when I have a specific need OR am waiting - in a doctor's office or in the car), and Facebook less (not a problem for me)... to make my internet usage purposeful.

I in no means consider myself addicted, I just know that there are often better things I could be doing with my time.  I have made a concerted effort this week to make sure I was spending time each day reading the scriptures (on a personal basis - so easy for me to consider family scripture reading the fulfillment of the RDA), Daughters in My Kingdom (a challenge our Stake RS Pres. gave months ago), or the Ensign.

I also prayed last night for patience.

This morning, as Bill walked into the office before heading out to work, he discovered water dripping from the ceiling fan, blinds, and door trim.  Upon further investigation, he found the culprit:  a plugged toilet upstairs with a run.  The last time Mar had flushed was 5pm yesterday.

 (Please don't look at the nice water deposit/chemical ring - seriously, unscrubbable... we need a new toilet)

(Ceiling fan drips... a possible electrocution hazard, I'd guess) 

(Watermarks on the wall in the office... Bill's cereal bowl - still full of mushy Corn Chex - on the filing cabinet, left in a moment of panic at the first realization of water where it doesn't belong)

(The dripping blinds) 

(The garage ceiling)

(The crawlspace... the most important salvaged items:  two sets of golf clubs and Tay's sax)

Thanks to these guys, the clean up is well on it's way:  about two weeks + our high deductible.  Sigh.

Today I've had some extra time sitting around waiting (and staying out of the way).  I pinned a couple of things, did a quick check of Olympic results, then decided to post about my day.  There were too many people around to shower, and too much stuff in disarray to make cleaning/organizing/dusting/vacuuming worth the effort.

I am reminded of the patience I prayed for last night.

I am reminded of this inspiring talk by President Henry B. Eyring.

"I cannot promise an end to your adversity in this life. I cannot assure you that your trials will seem to you to be only for a moment. One of the characteristics of trials in life is that they seem to make clocks slow down and then appear almost to stop.

There are reasons for that. Knowing those reasons may not give much comfort, but it can give you a feeling of patience. Those reasons come from this one fact: in Their perfect love for you, Heavenly Father and the Savior want you fitted to be with Them to live in families forever."

Learning patience the hard way,

The Best Jello Salad

Years ago my MIL passed along a cookbook called  Joys of Jello.  I wanted to find a publish date, but there was nary a one to be found in the actual book.  After a quick google search, I found it.  Published in 1963.  Someone is selling one on Amazon for $12.99.  I think I'll hold on to mine for a few more years (although mine is certainly not in mint condition, as someone - most certainly a child - apparently tried to take a bite out of it, AND the cover has a lovely pencil scribble across the front).  For whatever reason, though, through several cookbook-reduction/life-simplifying sessions, I have not been able to part with this particular book.  

I find it fascinating.

Where else could you possibly find a Jello recipe called Sea Dream?

or Vegetable Trio?

a plethora of interesting recipes calling for anything from cabbage, green peppers, and cauliflower, to ham, green olives, and lima beans???

Did you know that at one time (most likely that 1963 era) you could find Jello in a variety of savory flavors like celery, mixed vegetable, seasoned tomato, and Italian salad?

Like I said, FASCINATING.

Here's my current favorite Jello Salad, recipe courtesy of my friend Jeanne (who saved me on the 4th of July when I was trying to make it from memory - not a good idea  - for the whole gang and needed clarification.  She was in Hawaii - I had forgotten the time difference - and returned my call, apologizing for the delay in her response, but it was only 7am there.  She's a gem).

(I usually double the recipe when I am making it for a group.)

Jeanne Leak's Jello Salad

1 small pkg. cook-style vanilla pudding (can use sugar-free)

1 small pkg. cook-style tapioca pudding (can use fat free)

1 small pkg. Jello (can use sugar-free, any flavor)

3 cups water

Mix all together and bring to a boil.  Let cool 2 to 3 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix cooled Jello, making sure to blend well (no chunks - I use a big whisk).

Fold in fruit of your choice (mandarin oranges, strawberries, or my favorite, raspberries)

and 1 (8oz) Cool Whip (can use light - NOT fat free).

You can serve immediately, or refrigerate for later.

YUM-O.

It's a little reminiscent of the Jello salad that has cottage cheese, WITHOUT the cottage cheese.  The tapioca pudding absorbs the jello, and you end up with brightly colored tiny soft balls of tapioca.

Much better than Jello with celery, carrots, shrimp, and ham, in my humble opinion.

In the Middle

Mar had middle school registration this morning.  She is really cracking me up with all the anticipation and excitement for school to start she exudes.  I have to blog about it because I know there will come a day in the not-too-distant future that she will bemoan having to get up for school every day, and the homework that will be inevitably attached.

 For now, I'll enjoy how cute and sweet it is that she is so gosh darn thrilled about it.

I was worried when we pulled up to the school and the parking lot was loaded - I have spent hours of my life in many a long line for school registration, and this looked as bad as ever.  We were lucky to squeeze into a non-designated parking spot just as someone was leaving, and headed into the school, Mar chatting it up the whole way.  The process was about the easiest ever, thanks to all the online rigmarole I had patiently waded through a week or two ago.  We breezed through the required stations, picked up her PE clothes and ID card, and walked around the school to figure out her daily class routine. 

{Cake.}

In a celebratory spirit (and for kicks/fun/laughs), I thought I would share pics of Bill and me in 6th grade.

Neither of us got to move up to the big leagues (the I-think-I'm-in-big-leagues-but-I'm-really-just-in-the-more-often-than-not-awkward-middle) at that age, but Mar's excitement has reminded me of how much I couldn't wait to hit the Junior High scene the following year.

Her countdown chain is getting shorter.  Seven more days.