I'm really going to enjoy this last week before school starts.
Later: Out the door for more soccer. Hmmm, maybe I should start playing it.
Best news of the day: Roz has afternoon kindergarten! Yay!!! I'm currently babysitting my friend Marcie's little girl Maren, and she comes over in the mornings, so they will still be able to play together. Nice.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The Girl Who Cried "Pregnant"
Today I'm wondering if Michelle and Jim-Bob Duggar really haven't figured out "what causes that" yet. She "finally figured out" she was expecting again. REALLY? This is #19! It should be old hat by now! Even I, with my paltry five babies, was pretty well aware of what was going on each time I found out I was pregnant... but maybe that's just me. Man, we were in the store buying the pregnancy test the minute I started bawling about some song on the radio.
I'm also incredulous of those women on those "I didn't know I was pregnant" shows. But in their defense, quite a few of them thought pregnancy was impossible for them. That would mess with your mind a little.
Picture it: Logan, 1995. We were headed up Logan canyon for a picnic and Hubby ran into Albertson's to get a bag of ice. I was sitting in the car with Brennan and this song came on the radio and I LOST IT. Hubby came back and saw me freaking out and asked what was wrong... I will never forget the look on his face.
He went back into Albertson's and bought an EPT.
(That was Bella)
(here's the song that was on the radio that day)
I'm also incredulous of those women on those "I didn't know I was pregnant" shows. But in their defense, quite a few of them thought pregnancy was impossible for them. That would mess with your mind a little.
Picture it: Logan, 1995. We were headed up Logan canyon for a picnic and Hubby ran into Albertson's to get a bag of ice. I was sitting in the car with Brennan and this song came on the radio and I LOST IT. Hubby came back and saw me freaking out and asked what was wrong... I will never forget the look on his face.
He went back into Albertson's and bought an EPT.
(That was Bella)
(here's the song that was on the radio that day)
Monday, August 31, 2009
Laughing My Guts Out
...at whoever writes this blog.
Bless your heart, honey. May there be a terrific meal of ham, funeral potatoes and a nice green Jello salad with shredded carrots in your near future.
Bless your heart, honey. May there be a terrific meal of ham, funeral potatoes and a nice green Jello salad with shredded carrots in your near future.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
FACEBOOK IS A DUMBHOLE
I was kicked out of Facebook for making TOO MANY COMMENTS.
I love that someone has been tasked with the job of instructing a computer program to count comments and get upset when someone posts "too many". I think I would have to go home and kill myself, if that were my job.
So what do I do? I start a new Facebook account and move on with my life.
I love that someone has been tasked with the job of instructing a computer program to count comments and get upset when someone posts "too many". I think I would have to go home and kill myself, if that were my job.
So what do I do? I start a new Facebook account and move on with my life.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Preparedness Update #1
On April 29, I found this year-long plan to prepare 72-hour kits and food storage for a family, broken down by month. I decided to get busy with May's tasks.
I didn't have any money to blow on emergency supplies, but I wanted to strike while the iron was hot.
So I started with a black and white floral backpack Bella had discarded, in which I'd placed six pairs of men's long athletic socks - used, but clean, and good for layering if we get cold. As time goes by, I'll make sure each family member has his/her own backpack with supplies.
Just from what I could find around the house, I added:
1) Plastic utensils, cups and bowls
2) Two envelopes of onion soup mix I had in the cupboard - took them out of their box for squishability, and wrote down the expiration date so we'll be sure to rotate them. Obviously, getting food for the 72-hour kit will be a top priority.
3) A gnarly-looking sharp folding knife I found in Neenaw's hutch drawer (I'd love to know where that thing came from)
4) A flashlight (needs batteries)
5) $5 in change for phone calls, in a cute little metal tin
6) Genealogical records & copies of our patriarchal blessings
7) One kid's birth certificate - copy (should I put in the original?)
8) Four bandanas (Heff, recognize some of those?)
9) A change of underwear for everyone
10) My old lawn-mowing shoes
11) Old T-shirts to help us with our change of clothes - 3 adults', 1 child's
12) A pair of pants for Son #1
13) Toothbrushes
14) Travel-size toiletries: shampoo, lotion, mouthwash, toothpaste, soap
15) Feminine supplies, for those days of the month when we're feeling particularly "feminine"
16) First aid supplies - the blue thing has bandages, antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, cotton swabs, etc. The clear plastic box has a book of needles, three paper bags (I assume for hyperventilation), and an Ace bandage.
18) A box of latex gloves my mom bought to clean her hubby's office with, but ended up being too small, so she gave me the box! Score!
Later I added these emergency blankets - I found them for $1 each in a Target dollar bin - and shoved them in with everything else. I forgot about them until I unpacked everything today. Yay!
Also to buy:
100 pounds variety of cereal grains-rice, oatmeal, cornmeal, etc. per person
24 rolls toilet paper per person
24 packages flavored gelatin per person (I bought seven last week)
Garden seeds
1 small bottle olive oil (for consecrating)
At least one month prescription ahead for all doctor prescribed medication
Battery powered radio - I actually have one of these in the kitchen. It also has a cord, which is what I use when I listen to it. But I think I'll get another smaller one for the 72-hour kit because if things are going south fast enough, I doubt I'll have the presence of mind to grab my kitchen radio. Just being practical.
The above amounts are staggering, let alone "per person." We definitely don't eat that much Jell-O (bad Mormons! BAD!). But I'll buy some of it - better to buy some than not any at all.
This blog is good for keeping you motivated: Safely Gathered In
I didn't have any money to blow on emergency supplies, but I wanted to strike while the iron was hot.
So I started with a black and white floral backpack Bella had discarded, in which I'd placed six pairs of men's long athletic socks - used, but clean, and good for layering if we get cold. As time goes by, I'll make sure each family member has his/her own backpack with supplies.Just from what I could find around the house, I added:
1) Plastic utensils, cups and bowls2) Two envelopes of onion soup mix I had in the cupboard - took them out of their box for squishability, and wrote down the expiration date so we'll be sure to rotate them. Obviously, getting food for the 72-hour kit will be a top priority.
3) A gnarly-looking sharp folding knife I found in Neenaw's hutch drawer (I'd love to know where that thing came from)4) A flashlight (needs batteries)
5) $5 in change for phone calls, in a cute little metal tin
6) Genealogical records & copies of our patriarchal blessings
7) One kid's birth certificate - copy (should I put in the original?)
8) Four bandanas (Heff, recognize some of those?)9) A change of underwear for everyone
10) My old lawn-mowing shoes
11) Old T-shirts to help us with our change of clothes - 3 adults', 1 child's
12) A pair of pants for Son #1
13) Toothbrushes 14) Travel-size toiletries: shampoo, lotion, mouthwash, toothpaste, soap
15) Feminine supplies, for those days of the month when we're feeling particularly "feminine"
16) First aid supplies - the blue thing has bandages, antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, cotton swabs, etc. The clear plastic box has a book of needles, three paper bags (I assume for hyperventilation), and an Ace bandage.18) A box of latex gloves my mom bought to clean her hubby's office with, but ended up being too small, so she gave me the box! Score!
Later I added these emergency blankets - I found them for $1 each in a Target dollar bin - and shoved them in with everything else. I forgot about them until I unpacked everything today. Yay! Also to buy:
100 pounds variety of cereal grains-rice, oatmeal, cornmeal, etc. per person
24 rolls toilet paper per person
24 packages flavored gelatin per person (I bought seven last week)
Garden seeds
1 small bottle olive oil (for consecrating)
At least one month prescription ahead for all doctor prescribed medication
Battery powered radio - I actually have one of these in the kitchen. It also has a cord, which is what I use when I listen to it. But I think I'll get another smaller one for the 72-hour kit because if things are going south fast enough, I doubt I'll have the presence of mind to grab my kitchen radio. Just being practical.
The above amounts are staggering, let alone "per person." We definitely don't eat that much Jell-O (bad Mormons! BAD!). But I'll buy some of it - better to buy some than not any at all.
This blog is good for keeping you motivated: Safely Gathered In
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Weeding the Mailbox: Before and After
It's been very rainy and stormy here, which kept me from doing much outside, but today I made a little progress. Click on the pictures for more detail.
Here we are, out by the mailbox... quite weedy.
The border between our yard and the neighbor's is denoted by the crack in the curb and the bark dust. Sorry about the blur - my camera lens was dirty, I later discovered. This was taken on May 4, so after ten days and a lot of rain, you can imagine how covered over this spot was.
After spending a couple of hours weeding and pruning, we can see some dirt! Hooray for dirt!
While we were outside working, the middle school's marching band came marching down our street, practicing for an upcoming parade in our area. The kids looked embarrassed to have us watch, but Rosalind and I enjoyed it.
This black spot fungus stuff is worrying me. All the rose bushes are affected. I spent some good time pruning the two older bushes, and there's still plenty of vegetation left, but the younger ones are just covered with the stuff. I don't know if they'll make it. From what I've read, all you can do to this fungus is prune it.
This guy has been hanging around our house since Monday.
We think he must live close by, because he never seems hungry - just wants to play, climb our trees and hang around on the patio. The bluebird couple who live in our backyard love to taunt him by coming within three feet of him, then jumping away when it looks like he's going to pounce. Quite entertaining.
This is the view from our front window - gorgeous trees in our neighbors' yard.
We feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.
Here we are, out by the mailbox... quite weedy.
The border between our yard and the neighbor's is denoted by the crack in the curb and the bark dust. Sorry about the blur - my camera lens was dirty, I later discovered. This was taken on May 4, so after ten days and a lot of rain, you can imagine how covered over this spot was.
After spending a couple of hours weeding and pruning, we can see some dirt! Hooray for dirt! 
While we were outside working, the middle school's marching band came marching down our street, practicing for an upcoming parade in our area. The kids looked embarrassed to have us watch, but Rosalind and I enjoyed it.
This black spot fungus stuff is worrying me. All the rose bushes are affected. I spent some good time pruning the two older bushes, and there's still plenty of vegetation left, but the younger ones are just covered with the stuff. I don't know if they'll make it. From what I've read, all you can do to this fungus is prune it. This guy has been hanging around our house since Monday.
We think he must live close by, because he never seems hungry - just wants to play, climb our trees and hang around on the patio. The bluebird couple who live in our backyard love to taunt him by coming within three feet of him, then jumping away when it looks like he's going to pounce. Quite entertaining.
This is the view from our front window - gorgeous trees in our neighbors' yard.
We feel very fortunate to live in such a beautiful place.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Speaking of Lilacs...
Click on the pictures for more detail.
The lilac shrub is quite mature and doing very well, especially on the sunny side. It's about three feet away from a red-leafed tree, I think an elm, which shades its right side to the point that hardly anything bloomed. Like most of the other trees and plants on our property, it needs some TLC.
The sunny side - look how long those branches are. We need a haircut.
The one bloom on the "tree" side.
I love the color.
What I Found: How to Prune Lilac Shrubs - though my lilac shrub definitely needs it, I can't do any pruning until after the shrub is finished blooming, or I won't have any blooms next year. I'll be posting some "after" pictures later.
ALSO: I swept the patio and front walk. Doesn't sound like such a huge job, but with the wind blowing so much lately, we've had all kinds of interesting little tree- and flower-related paraphenalia blow onto the property, along with lots of dirt and dust. (sneezing heavily)
The lilac shrub is quite mature and doing very well, especially on the sunny side. It's about three feet away from a red-leafed tree, I think an elm, which shades its right side to the point that hardly anything bloomed. Like most of the other trees and plants on our property, it needs some TLC.
The sunny side - look how long those branches are. We need a haircut.
The one bloom on the "tree" side.
I love the color.
What I Found: How to Prune Lilac Shrubs - though my lilac shrub definitely needs it, I can't do any pruning until after the shrub is finished blooming, or I won't have any blooms next year. I'll be posting some "after" pictures later.
ALSO: I swept the patio and front walk. Doesn't sound like such a huge job, but with the wind blowing so much lately, we've had all kinds of interesting little tree- and flower-related paraphenalia blow onto the property, along with lots of dirt and dust. (sneezing heavily)
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Great Work Quote
WORK IS MAN'S GREATEST FUNCTION
He is nothing, he can do nothing, he can achieve nothing, fulfill nothing without working.
If you are poor-work. If you are rich-continue working.
If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibilities- work.
If you are happy, keep right on working. Idleness gives room for doubts and fears.
If disappointments come-work. If your health is threatened- work.
When faith falters- work. When dreams are shattered and hope seems dead- work.
Work as if your life were in peril. It really is.
No matter what ails you-work. Work faithfully, work with faith.
Work is the greatest remedy available- for both mental and physical afflictions.
-James M. Cowan
He is nothing, he can do nothing, he can achieve nothing, fulfill nothing without working.
If you are poor-work. If you are rich-continue working.
If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibilities- work.
If you are happy, keep right on working. Idleness gives room for doubts and fears.
If disappointments come-work. If your health is threatened- work.
When faith falters- work. When dreams are shattered and hope seems dead- work.
Work as if your life were in peril. It really is.
No matter what ails you-work. Work faithfully, work with faith.
Work is the greatest remedy available- for both mental and physical afflictions.
-James M. Cowan
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Pioneer Daughters
So Bella's historically-ignorant history teacher* asked the children to come dressed for a pioneer-era skit on Wednesday. I was already in a sewing mood, so I took off for the Wal-Marche and happily bought 3,000 yards of fabric. Click the pics to have your mind seriously blown.
Miss Isabella is resplendent in a lovely, "Hurry, my daughter's leaving for Pioneer Trek in 30 minutes and she can't go on Trek without a skirt" skirt and "Why yes, it IS almost St. Patrick's Day" sunbonnet. The skirt goes like this: you buy one or two yards of fabric; unfold it, then match up the long sides; then you sew one side seam, a casing for elastic at the top and a hem at the bottom. This takes almost no time at all. The fabric is super cute, with little pink rosebuds. (Can I also just say, I'm really glad we don't have to wear these clothes all the time... hardly flattering.)
The sunbonnet came from this pattern and was also quick to sew. It took about three hours (with interruptions).
The brim can be folded back for more face exposage.
Miss Rosalind wanted a picture of herself, but was not participating fully here. She seems to have some kind of weird Northwest-baby light aversion thing and was quite unhappy about my pulling her into the dining room to take this picture.
I asked her to smile, but she got mad and ran away instead... the little rodent.
*Mr. Teacher called the handcart pioneers "stupid" for using handcarts instead of covered wagons and for leaving right before winter, as some of them did. "Stupid"? Try "poor and threatened with death if they didn't hurry up and leave the state of Illinois," you big silly man.
I've half a mind to write him a strongly-worded letter but Bella has begged me not to embarrass her. So I won't. I'll just stick pins in his voodoo doll instead. Whaaaaat?
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| ehhh |
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| bonnet, dahn it |
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| facey face face |
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| My eyes!!! |
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| That is IT I can't work like this |
*Mr. Teacher called the handcart pioneers "stupid" for using handcarts instead of covered wagons and for leaving right before winter, as some of them did. "Stupid"? Try "poor and threatened with death if they didn't hurry up and leave the state of Illinois," you big silly man.
I've half a mind to write him a strongly-worded letter but Bella has begged me not to embarrass her. So I won't. I'll just stick pins in his voodoo doll instead. Whaaaaat?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Teeth and Trixie
I so rarely post pictures that when I do, the posts are loooooong and possibly less-than-enthralling. But they're pictures.
Brennan went snow-caving with the ward Young Men, and like any good camper, took along his air mattress. Before he packed the air mattress pump, he decided to give himself a little refill.
My darling four-year-old. Look at that face. Would you look at that face? Is that a face you could die for?
Not for the recently-ate-something: Brennan had EMERGENCY tooth surgery last month. It was LIFE or DEATH! Those teeth had to come out IMMEDIATELY! They wheeled him into the TOOTH O.R. on a TOOTH GURNEY! OK, not really, but the orthodontist was pretty adamant that these two baby teeth come out, and come out that day. Brennan was less than happy with my taking this picture but I figured it needed to be documented for future errant-baby-tooth-sufferers.
Speaking of Brennan being less than happy, the orthodontist tells us Brennan needs braces. We were all, "Huh? That kid's teeth are straight as an arrow," but we are assured that Brennan's permanent canine tooth never made its appearance because it's stuck somewhere in his skull, possibly near his optic nerve or next to his medulla oblongata, or maybe back in Detroit. The doc wants to put braces on his teeth, complete with a cute little tiny chain that attaches from one tooth, to the canine tooth up in his nasal cavity, back down to the next tooth, so it can be pulled down like a stump with huge roots stuck in eight feet of asphalt. Does this sound fun? Oh no. It does not.
In other, less-gorier news, Carrot Jello's dear sister, Trixie, came to visit me last Friday. Actually she was on her way to Costa Rica, every Mormon mom's vacation hot spot. Do I hear you scoffing? Well, scoff you should. So far it sounds like Costa Rica reaaaaaally needs to work on its hotel hospitality skills. Trixie spent Friday night with me, and I took her to the airport Saturday morning. Friday afternoon was spent enjoying her mad balloon-twisting skills.
Look at her go! Just so you know, the balloon-twisting thing is so easy. Good grief, I am a complete and total craft klutz and even *I* made awesome balloon stuff. Brennan and Carter, the two art-o's of the family, ate this stuff up. Pretty soon our house looked like a twisted balloon explosion.
Trixie is a great teacher, very calm and supportive and motivating and funny. Brennan had a great time learning from her.
Just a few of Trixie's offerings: Flower, butterfly wand, bug crown with antennae... they go perfectly with a big blue boofy Cinderella dress and a huge happy grin.
Harrison and Carter, eating up everything Miss Awesome Balloon Lady made. Helmets, swords, bows and arrows... they had no idea this lady coming to stay with us would be so darn cool. They were so happy when they came home from school and found all this neat stuff.
Brennan really got into it. Before too long he had finished this braided crown for Roz, who of course hated it. Not.
I bet YOUR arrows don't stick to the wall.
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| pssshhhhhhh |
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| Cute little teefies |
 |
| OUCH |
Speaking of Brennan being less than happy, the orthodontist tells us Brennan needs braces. We were all, "Huh? That kid's teeth are straight as an arrow," but we are assured that Brennan's permanent canine tooth never made its appearance because it's stuck somewhere in his skull, possibly near his optic nerve or next to his medulla oblongata, or maybe back in Detroit. The doc wants to put braces on his teeth, complete with a cute little tiny chain that attaches from one tooth, to the canine tooth up in his nasal cavity, back down to the next tooth, so it can be pulled down like a stump with huge roots stuck in eight feet of asphalt. Does this sound fun? Oh no. It does not.
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| Yo Trixie!! |
 |
| The chick is amazing |
 |
| Ten seconds later... |
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| Happy Miss Goose |
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| Swords and helmets, hooray!! |
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| Crowned! |
 |
| Um |
Friday, November 21, 2008
Rosalind Friday: How to Properly Abuse a Dead Air Mattress
When Roz was born, we had no idea what a great object of catapult she would turn out to be.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Brennan Monday: We All Live in a Medical Submarine
Friday night, I was reading the 2002 Guiness Book of World Records about medical stuff - most heart transplants, most reattachments after amputation, etc. Then I read this: Smallest submarine for medical use: In 1999 German company microTEC produced a microsubmarine just 0.157 inches in length with a diameter of 0.025 inches. Made with computer-guided lasers, it will be used to travel to sites of blockage or damage in blood vessels and repair them from within the body.
I think: How cool that technology has come that far... submarines small enough to travel down blood vessels! How tiny must that submarine be!
I said out loud to Brennan: "Cool, they've got a submarine for medical use."
He says: "Cool."
(Pause)
"How do they get in it?"
Friday, November 14, 2008
Rosalind Friday: Accessorizing
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| Wanna eat her face |
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Thursday, November 13, 2008
Carter Thursday: A video!
Carter shows off a new skill he learned at school.
Unfortunately, the camera batteries died just as he was about to start the alphabet. Maybe next time.
Unfortunately, the camera batteries died just as he was about to start the alphabet. Maybe next time.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Harrison Wednesday: Soccer Pictures
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| 9 years old |
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Isabella Tuesday: Soccer, Then and Now
What a cute little tiny goalie!
How fun playing soccer when Dad is the coach! Usually. He's very easy-going and kind but gets fired up sometimes. For a while, Dad and Bella had a deal going where if he yelled at Bella in front of the other girls, he had to pay her a dollar. He lost a few dollars, but no more embarrassing Daddy outbursts.
So far, Bella is our sporty girl - but Roz is young, so we'll see. Bella started school basketball last week and is excited to conquer another sport.
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| Autumn 2000 |
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| 2008 |
So far, Bella is our sporty girl - but Roz is young, so we'll see. Bella started school basketball last week and is excited to conquer another sport.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Brennan Monday: Beach Artist Extraordinaire
One hot August weekend, we took a quick trip to Pacific City, Oregon to cool off and enjoy some beach time. Brennan got busy turning Harrison into a "merman."
Piling up the sand.
We kept Harrison comfortable with our new smiley-face beach ball.
Getting all technical with our technical sand tools, aka "hands"
The end result. Brennan celebrates his accomplishment by... making a goofy face.
Piling up the sand.
We kept Harrison comfortable with our new smiley-face beach ball.
Getting all technical with our technical sand tools, aka "hands"
The end result. Brennan celebrates his accomplishment by... making a goofy face.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Rosalind Friday: Roz Redecorates the Living Room
I cleaned up the kitchen and picked up the dining room and went online for a bit - and when I stood up to check out the living room, I found this.
Those are Rozzie's Sunday shoes on the cream teddy bear and her pink rain boots on the tan one.
She's our girly-girl, whose favorite color is pink and who would live in skirts if she could. She really doesn't like pants, even if it's cold. I have to make her wear tights with everything. (Excuse her dirty, faded Halloween tattoo legs)
When Bri came home from work, he found this and said to me, "Come look at this!"... the red rug makes a nice blanket for a few more babies.
From the time she was able to walk, she has followed me around and did exactly what I did - then added her own little touches. In her future I see a home and some babies...
Roz has been so much fun.
Those are Rozzie's Sunday shoes on the cream teddy bear and her pink rain boots on the tan one. 
She's our girly-girl, whose favorite color is pink and who would live in skirts if she could. She really doesn't like pants, even if it's cold. I have to make her wear tights with everything. (Excuse her dirty, faded Halloween tattoo legs)
When Bri came home from work, he found this and said to me, "Come look at this!"... the red rug makes a nice blanket for a few more babies.
From the time she was able to walk, she has followed me around and did exactly what I did - then added her own little touches. In her future I see a home and some babies...Roz has been so much fun.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Carter Thursday: Soccer
This is the third year Carter has played soccer. He loves it and has a good time. As a four-year-old, he was pretty distractable and liked stomping in the mud during games, but now he's all business.Carter's coaches this year are our good friends and have been playing soccer with us since Dad coached Brennan's soccer team, which included Connor (left). His sister Sammi (right) is on Bella's team now. Carter and Nathan (middle) have been good friends since they were tiny.
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