Playing with the dog

I haven't posted any new pictures of our dog, Jade, since we got her. She was only 6 weeks old then and a teeny tiny puppy. Now, however, she's 6 months old and a little over half grown, I think. We'll see how much bigger she gets. She's loving the new backyard she has to play in. It's much better than being cooped up in the garage or out on the narrow patio of our old place. Craig and Ethan go out there and throw the tennis balls for her or play tug-a-war with her ropes. We let her in for part of the day and I've been trying to go out every morning for walks with her and the kids. Being a puppy, she still needs supervision or her desire to chew up all the kids' stuffed animals overwhelms her desire to not displease us and be put outside, but she's getting better. She's learning the rules and keeps them, most of the time.

The other day Craig was playing with her in the house and I got some good pictures. Ethan got in on the fun, too. I love that she is so good with them and pretty much lets them abuse her in every way and rarely makes a peep.

Here's the best one. Jade was so good the whole time they were sitting on her. I just kept telling her to stay if she tried to get up and she did.

I liked this for an action shot. Craig has a great smile going on.


Jade is so great about letting them reach in her mouth and pull toys out or just play with her mouth and face in general without biting down on them or accidentally hurting them. That was a concern of mine with getting such a big breed of dog, but she's really gentle. I also loved how Ethan was off on the side of this picture trying to steal the scene. :)

Car repairs :(

This is a cell phone picture, if you were wondering why it's so blurry and yellow.

The last three days before we moved, the van needed a pretty major repair. The steering has been really lose for a while and has had a slow leak since we bought it but we knew it would be costly. Plus, at the time, it was livable. On Wednesday before the big move, though, the steering went out completely. Luckily we had our tax return money and a quote on the repairs... roughly $2700. Robert talked to the mechanic at work and he decided he was going to do it himself. The part that needed to be replaced is called the rack and pinion. It also needed a new steering high pressure hose. Yes, it did take three nights out in the garage for a total of about 15 hours of labor, but that wasn't far from what Aamco had estimated for labor. However, the total cost, for parts and tools, was around $700. Everyone has little things they bring to a marriage that just make life a little easier. I must say that I am just so grateful that one of Robert's things is his way with fixing things, especially cars. If it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't have a van right now. There wouldn't have been an easy way to pay that much money for the van to get fixed. So, thanks Sweetie. You're one in a million.

One more thing...

As I was sorting through my files and filing it all away, I ran across a stack of papers my parents gave me. It's a bunch of stuff from when I was in school, all the way from elementary through high school. Diplomas, awards, reports, etc. One was a picture I drew of a camel smoking a cigarette. I'm not sure where that came from or why my mom would keep it, but there it is. I'm keeping it, too. :) I also found a piece of paper that said the following (in print and cursive):

My name is Sherry Lee Olson. My favorite colors are any kind of purples or blues. My favorite food is mashed potatoes. I like drama movies like Dance With Wolves (man with a naked bottom in this one...hmmmm), Regarding Henry, and Ghost. I'm 11 1/2 years old. I like basketball. The games I like are Corners, Slap Math (probably the last time I liked anything math related), and Heads Up Seven Up. I have two sisters and one brother. I hate nail biting and high pitched sounds. I usually read or take a walk. My favorite T.V. shows is Murphy Brown and Cheers. My best friends are Talea Ramsey, Kerrian McDermot, Maggie Sentieri, and a lot of others.

What 11 1/2 year old's favorite shows are Murphy Brown and Cheers? I guess that just shows that I was the youngest and went along with the crowd. I just pretended to know what the jokes meant and laughed along with everyone else...or asked a lot of annoying questions. I also thought it was funny that in the best friends part I added, "and a lot of others," just to be sure and state that I have a lot of friends. Status was everything back then. Know what? Even though my childhood was virtually carefree and rarely do I run across a truly unhappy memory, I wouldn't go back. Being a kid is rough.

Here We Are Together

I just wanted to post something to let you all know I'm alive and well. We moved, so that's what I've been up to. Two Saturdays ago, the 26th, was the official moving date but we've spent this last week making trips back and forth to the old place with extra stuff we couldn't fit in the moving truck and cleaning. I was fortunate enough to have my mom come out and help this last week. I am so glad she thought about coming out and helping...I never would have thought I needed so much help this time. We've moved two other times in the last 2 years and I managed those well enough on my own. At least I think I did. Maybe it was such a bad experience I've blocked it from my memory. It was so nice having her here so I could run off and clean the old place without having to deal with Craig and Ethan. I even got to go take my midterms and we still had one fun day to walk around the temple and downtown Mesa.

In case you're wondering, we moved from Fountain Hills back to Mesa, about 20 minutes away. Why? Because we found a place (smaller, but it meets our needs) with three bedrooms and a fenced yard. It's close to the same neighborhood we lived in when we lived in Mesa before so I know the stores and where all the parks are. Plus, Robert has a five minute drive to work. He's even considering getting a bike. We've even kept in touch with some friends from our old place in Mesa. I am going to miss Fountain Hills and there's something very sad about going back to a place you've made into a home when it's empty and void of all your things...physical and not. We had great neighbors there, too, but I'm sure we'll get to know the people here and make friends. It's just a process I hate going through over and over again. Oh, and I forgot to mention that the rent here is about $275 less per month. We just couldn't pass it up.

So, I'll be getting back into the swing of things here pretty soon. Since my mom was able to come and do A LOT of the unpacking and getting us settled, I don't have too much left before I get back into my old routine. There's just filing away all our papers and things (now that we got the filing cabinet in the house and out of the driveway), cleaning the tools and extensions cords off of the kitchen counter and putting them out in the tools box, reorganizing a few things, getting the last load of stuff out of the back of my van, and hanging pictures! Wish me luck!

Adventures in Babysitting (Part 2)

After showing the babysitters the ropes and putting Ethan to bed (since it was now 15 minutes to his bedtime and he would just cry for ten of those minutes after we left), we got out the door. It was 7:00pm. Fifteen minutes later, we get to the restaurant we were planning on eating at and that I had been looking forward to for weeks (Cheesecake Factory). It's a beautiful Friday night in Scottsdale (the "most livable city"--if you make over $100K per year) and the wait is over 45 minutes long...for two people. We go to the next place and it's the same thing. And the next. And the next. See, we're in a very fashionable part of the city where our little Eclipse is tacky and people would rather wait in line for a valet for 20 minutes, holding up traffic, than to park and walk five minutes to the restaurant. Oh, and then there was the limo we were behind that sat at a stop sign for several minutes until the occupants finished their drinks and decided to get out. After about 15 minutes of this chaos, we drove toward the city limits.

Another side note: as we were walking around, looking for a place to eat, the cell phone rings. It's one of the girls. She's saying the pizza is there and the delivery guy is asked for a credit card. Sigh. Robert talks to him, makes him give them the pizza, and calls the manager back. It gets taken care of, but it was a little annoying.

Using the GPS, we called around until we found a place that had a five minute wait. It only took a few minutes to get there. It turned out to be this little Italian bistro (from 1/2 mile away you could see the big red letters on the front of the building that said "ITALIAN BISTRO") out of the way, behind the airport (a place that the people who fly their private jets into that airport would never step a Prada toe). It was nice, though, with friendly people, quiet customers, and good linens.

The minute we sit down and before I can say, "I'll take one of everything-STAT!" the phone rings again. This time she's laughing. She tells me that while they were checking on the kids in bed, they heard a strange noise downstairs but decided not to check it out right away (naturally). When they got down there, they found that the dog--who was outside when we left--had knocked the pizza and their paper plates off the kitchen counter (which they had admittedly left slightly hanging over the edge), splattering sauce everywhere, and had devoured every last piece. Ha ha...SO funny. We call in another (albeit un-free) pizza and get back to our meal...at last. It's now about 8:30.

They bring us bread and we devour it within minutes, crumbs littering the tablecloth. I almost drank the lemon garlic oil they brought for the bread, but luckily my coke had come. We ordered, it came quickly, we ate, and we were stuffed. The only reason I didn't call these posts Nightmares in Babysitting is because without all this hoopla, we never would have discovered this little gem...this Italian family bistro where everything is house made and fresh and better than you hoped. Even Robert didn't really have anything to critique about the food, which NEVER happens.

By this time, we've pretty much lost all hope of doing anything else that night, like a movie or bowling, and just head home. I guess we'll just have to save that for another night when things go a little smoother.

When we get home, the girls are fed, the kids are sleeping, the dog is out, and they had picked up the toys. Even the kids' books were in order from tallest to shortest. I took the girls home (chauffeur-style) and the night was over. Phew. It might be a long time before we do anything like this again.

Adventures in Babysitting (Part 1)

Robert and I didn't go out last Monday for Valentine's Day because we thought it would be too busy and we'd never get into the place we wanted to eat and the service would take too long. Also, we wanted to go bowling or do something after dinner so we thought Friday would be better since he wouldn't have to work the next morning. Finding a babysitter proved to be just as hard as it would have been in Valentine's Day. Our two regulars were out, one had an unwilling sister, and the third we used one time (who was great) turned out to live about 20 miles out of town down a long, bumpy, unlit dirt road. It was about a 45 minute round trip to take her home. So, we called around and someone said they knew a family with two daughters who liked to babysit. Robert works with the dad and I know the mom but never really met the girls. I trusted the source, however, and I like the parents. The mom said the older daughter was busy but her younger one wanted to do it. She was having a friend over for the weekend and was wondering if her friend could come with her. I said yes and thought it would be better, anyway, since the younger daughter was (from what I heard) about 12 or 13 and would probably want someone to help her.

We agreed to have the mom drop off the girls on her way to work and I would take them home. They were to be there at 5:30. At 5:25 the daughter called and said her mom was running late and could we come pick them up. I gave Robert the directions and he went out to get them. While he was gone, I consulted the ward list to make sure I had the daughter's name right (Tylinn) and saw her birth date. She is 12...this Thursday. I never guessed she was under 12 since (it turns out) she's been going to Young Women's on Sunday with her sister for the last six months since I've been in Primary. The friend, however, was over 12 (thank goodness, for legal reasons) albeit far less mature than Tylinn. As a side note, when they got in the car they both had to sit in the back seat since one was under age and the over-12 one was only 65 pounds--which is less than what Craig and Ethan weigh combined. Ai-yai-yai.

About 10 minutes after Robert left the mom called and told me Tylinn was gone and hadn't said goodbye and she hadn't gotten our home number. About 10 minutes later, Robert still hadn't shown up. I was concerned since they only lived about five minutes away, one way. I couldn't call him, however, since his phone had died earlier that day. Another few minutes pass and he finally shows up...without the babysitters. I call the mom and it turns out they had gone outside to wait and came back in when Robert didn't show. He said he drove all around the area, couldn't find the road they lived on, and even stopped at a gas station to get directions and look at a map. Their road wasn't on the map and he had no phone to call me. I check the address with Google and call the mom again. Sure enough, Google is right and she had given us the wrong directions. I hop in the car and pick up the (small and young) babysitters.

Oh, and then it turns out they haven't had dinner so Robert orders them a pizza. Apparently, everyone but the manager is training that night and they lose the order/get it wrong so many times that the manager gives it to us for free. Plus side, right? It doesn't last for long.

To be continued...

The Pay Off

Remember this post a little while ago? It's all about Craig and Ethan and the big mess they made in our closet one day. I figured out that they had done it by Craig climbing up on top of the dresser and pulling the hangers off. Then Ethan got in on the fun by pulling down on the clothes.

In a related subject (you'll see how), Craig has started watching a PBS show on Netflix called Super Why. In one episode a little boy named Wyatt accidentally makes a mess in his brothers room. He wants to make it up to him but doesn't know how, so they consult the book "Goldilocks" to find out what she did to make it up to the bears when she made a big mess. The answer is to clean up the mess and to apologize, which Wyatt does at the end.

To come full circle, I was getting dressed this morning and we were all in the closet. Craig was talking about the show and cleaning up messes. Then he pauses for a minute, looks around, and says, "Craig made a big mess in Mommy's closet." I hadn't even made that connection! He is constantly surprising me with his progressive little brain, always learning. I said, "Yes, he did. And what would be the nice thing to do if Craig makes a big mess?" He said, "Clean it up. Mommy wasn't happy." I said, "You're right. Mommy wasn't happy with the big mess and helping to clean it up would be the good thing to do." And then, Craig surprised me again and remember the second half of the lesson from his T.V. show. He said, "I'm sorry for making a big mess, Mommy."

I was floored! I gave him big hugs and kisses...he nearly brought me to tears. He's not even three yet but this is the first time he has, of his own thinking and without being prompted, apologized for something. I believe he even felt some sort of almost-three-year-old remorse. It's moments like these that make all the persistence worth it.

Potstickers

Before I begin my food post, I would like to take a minute to jot down some thoughts.

I am not a food photographer. When I was in high school, I took two years of photography and loved it. I thought I was pretty good, too. What I liked most was how we developed and printed our own pictures. That's really half of the creative process. Nowadays with all these digital cameras and photo shop, I'm lost. In a world where professional-like photography has become accessible to the average joe, I am back to point and shoot. I used to be able to manipulate apertures, shutter speeds, and meters--all with a garage sale 1970's camera--and I would get a really nice result. Now, everything comes out blurry, too dark or too bright, and down right ugly. Food is the hardest for me. I see these beautifully composed photos of people's culinary creations and I try to copy their techniques, only to come up with less-than-my-best. Oh well. Maybe when we build our own house someday that will be my stipulation: I get a dark room. That would be awesome. Okay, I'm done. Just don't expect a great picture of these pot stickers.

See, I told you.

I made these a couple nights ago and I've made them once before. They always come out really well. Chinese cooking is sort of like a mystery to us (yes, even Robert). He loves experimenting with Asian cuisine and does well, but sometimes we just can't seem to replicate their flavors. I found this recipe in a magazine and thought I'd give it a try. It's so good, I had to pass it along. I might even put these on Tasty Kitchen, if I feel so ambitious.

Pork Pot Stickers
Yield: About 15-20, I think?

Filling:
1/4 pound finely shredded Napa cabbage (about 2 cups)*
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. oyster sauce (find this in the Asian food aisle of any grocery store)
2 tsp. sesame oil (same as above)
1 tsp. corn starch
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt*
1/8 tsp. white pepper*
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 tsp. minced ginger*
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound ground pork
Won ton wrappers (usually in the refrigerated section of the produce dept.)
Vegetable oil
Water

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place cabbage in boiling water for a few minutes, until it begins to soften. Remove from hot water immediately and rinse in cold. Drain and rinse then drain again. Squeeze handfuls of cabbage then wrap in paper towels and squeeze again until you've squeezed and wrapped all the cabbage. Wrap and squeeze in paper towels one more time. This is necessary to decrease the moisture in the filling and prevent breakage of the won ton wrappers during cooking. Set cabbage aside. Whisk together the egg white, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, corn starch, sugar, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the cabbage, green onions, ginger, and garlic. Add the pork and mix until thoroughly combined.

Take one won ton wrapper at a time, brush outer edge (about 1/2 inch) with water all around just to moisten. Place a small amount (how much depends on the size of your wrapper--usually 1-2 tsp.) in the middle. Fold wrapper over (forming a triangle, if wrappers are square), squeezing out the air and pressing the edges together to form a seal. Sometimes you can find round wrappers which are larger and are more traditional. Either one works. You can pleat, if you like, to have a good seal. Heat a skillet over medium to medium high heat. Add 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, tilting to coat. Place pot stickers in a single layer in the pan without letting them touch. Fry until the bottoms are brown. Flip them over, add 1/2 cup water, cover, and let steam/cook for 6 to 7 minutes, or until the water is evaporated and bottoms are golden brown. If the water evaporates quicker than this, turn your heat down. You need this much time for the filling to cook through (based on 1-2 tsp. of filling). Be aware that when you add the water, there will be a lot of spitting and sputtering of the oil. I used the lid as a shield and moved quickly at that step.

*Don't not make this because you don't want to buy a whole piece of fresh ginger, for example, and only use a small portion. I *starred* the things that can be cut short. You could use regular cabbage, if you want, regular salt, powdered ginger, or regular pepper. Garlic, however, must be fresh. It lasts a long time in the fridge, anyway, and is very useful. (Okay, okay...if fresh garlic is stopping you from making these, then just use powdered, but I'm a believer in fresh!)

* Also, don't not make these because there seem to be lots of steps or they seem complicated. They are SO good, better than anything I've had in a Chinese restaurant, and they are relatively quick to clean up.

Craig's House

Yesterday I had to take the van to Aamco to get some problems diagnosed and get an estimate.

We had about three hours to kill and, luckily, there was a Costco right down the road! We walked around, sat on the couches, I "picked out" new furniture (a girl can dream, can't she?).

Anywho, we rounded a corner and what did Craig's wondering eyes behold? A massive $1000 playground set, complete with a two story play house, slide, and swing set. Luckily, it was lifted up off the ground and onto a platform about ten feet up so I didn't have to fight him to stay off. I did feel bad for him, though. He wanted to play with it in the worst way, but realized it was out of reach. He said to me, "Can I play up there?" But before I could answer he disappointingly said to himself, "No, it's too high." Then, however, we came around the other side and he squealed and clapped in excitement. There, underneath the play structure, was a little wooden play house. Craig said to me, "Mom, it's my house!"

It even had a little doorbell. I sat down and they played with this thing for a good 30 or 45 minutes. People were walking by and making comments about the little house and how much they loved it. I almost felt like Costco should be paying me to have them playing there and making it look fun. I wonder if they sold any of these houses while we were there. :)

Craig, looking through the door.

Ethan came to answer the door when I rang the doorbell.

Thank you, Costco, for keeping us warm and occupied for a big chunk of our long, cold morning.

Before and After

Saturday was a big day for us. It was one of those days when everything is planned down to the second. We had a thousand things going on and I had no time for anything extra. In an effort to help me, Craig and Ethan decided the rearrange the closet. Here's what is looked like before they started:

Here's the "after" picture:

This happened at about 8:30am. I think I handled it well. I didn't blow up or get angry. The pile sat there until this afternoon (Monday). As the french say, c'est la vie.

The other big event happening on Saturday was the trading in of Robert's beloved Jeep. We got this Jeep back when we had one car and were living in Montana. We needed something big enough for the family and all wheel drive. Now, however, we need something small and economical for Robert to commute in since we have the van for the family car. We were also wanting to lower our payments by $100 a month. The babysitter came over at noon and we headed out. We spent all day going to dealerships in Phoenix. Just as I was getting hungry and thought we were going to head home, Robert found IT. We debated and decided it met all of our needs and even still had some warranty left. And he loves it. Since he loved that Jeep so much, and he loved the Mustang we had to get rid of when we had Craig, we decided to go for it.

Sayonara, Jeep. It's been fun. (This picture was taken the day after we bought it.)

Helllloooo Eclipse. We're looking forward to this.

It does fit the two car seats in the back, by the way. We went for a drive yesterday with the boys. They love it, too. It looks like the same color as the Jeep, but it's actually kind of orangey.

Fancy Food Show

Early last week, Robert went on his first business trip for his job at Lehi Valley Trading Company. He spent two days walking around, sampling, and discovering all the fun things at the annual Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. He said it was absolutely enormous. Lehi Valley had a booth there, too. They even had samples of some of Robert's most recent creations, including his fried peanuts (salted and cajun flavored). I guess you eat them shell and all. I haven't tried them yet, but I hear they're really popular among the show-goers. He and his supervisor did so much walking, his feet were bruised, blistered and swollen for days afterward. He had fun, though. He learned a lot and ate some good stuff.

Did he meet anybody famous, you ask? Why yes...yes he did. On the first day, he met this Guy:

If you're not into the whole Food Network thing or if you don't watch much T.V., I'll tell you who he is. His name is Guy Fieri. He got his start with the Food Network when he won the show The Next Food Network Star several years ago. Since then, he's had several shows on Food Network, he owns a few restaurants, he does commercials for T.J. I. Fridays, and recently started hosting a new game show called "Minute to Win It" on NBC (I think). Robert talked to him for a minute and got a picture with him, but I don't have that picture yet. I will post it when I get it.

The next person he met was this gentleman:

Except he wasn't much of a gentleman when Robert talked to him, unfortunately. It sounds to me like he was stressed out and over worked that day. Robert did get a picture with him, too. It was just a bit more awkward. If you don't know him his name is Duff Goldman. He is a trained pastry chef who, while going to the Culinary Institute of America in San Francisco, worked at The French Laundry (the premier restaurant of Robert's idol-chef Thomas Keller), and later started his own extreme cake-making business. His show is called "Ace of Cakes." The day Robert met him, he was making cake pops for a demonstration and giving them out. Robert got two and brought them home for Craig and Ethan. By the time I could get a picture of them, nothing was left but the sticks. So, that's what the picture is of: Craig and Ethan licking the last of the icing off the stick. They look very determined.

Yep, those cake pops were made by Duff himself! Apparently they were yummy. :)

As I said, when/if I get those pictures of Robert with Guy and Duff, I will post them. I'm glad he had a chance to go. This is a whole new world for him--business stuff, travel, desks, computers, memos, etc. All mixed with food, cooking, and recipe development. He's really loving it, though. And I couldn't happier for him (or for the kids and me). :)

Nap time

Jade's favorite nap spot. She just loves sleeping under our bed.

Haircuts

I gave Craig and Ethan hair cuts the other day. I've been getting a lot better with them but still struggle with the blending. Everyone says, "Just keep the clippers going straight up and it will blend itself." I guess I don't understand because that's what I think I'm doing but it always turns out with a really obvious ridge. It's not so bad with Ethan because his hair is still so fine and it lays down pretty well. Craig, however, has this hair that sticks up and out, unless it's several inches long but I'm not into that new long look for boys. This must be how my hair would be if it were short because Craig's hair reminds me a lot of brother's because of this. Since it's like this, it makes a bad fading job more obvious (Lani, have you found this to be true?) I did really well this time, though. I almost got it right and I would have had it perfect if Craig weren't a squirmy 2 year old. I finally gave up (like I always do) and declared it good enough. Robert, however, who has this ability to access a reservoir of patience somewhere deep inside him when it comes to the boys, sat Craig down and managed to finish it, doing an awesome job. Here's side one:

I was gone to the temple at the time (my first trip in a LONG time and it was such a treat) so I wasn't there to help keep an eye on the stinker. Twenty minutes later, Robert realized everything was awfully quiet. He finds Craig upstairs with the clippers. He had managed to get a guard on, thank goodness, but this is what I found on the other side of his head when I came home:

It's much more obvious in person, plus this was several days ago on Saturday. There are two distinct chunks gone, one right above the fade and one right below. So for church on Sunday we did the best we could to spike the top. That made it much less noticeable. I'm just grateful he's a boy and it grows out quickly. I've heard horror stories of girls cutting their own hair. I don't think I ever did that one, but I do remember shaving my legs when I was about four or five. And by "legs" I mean hair AND skin. Yeah, it wasn't a pretty sight. My dad found me and, being a former EMT and a career 911 dispatcher, was more than capable of handling the situation. I remember it vividly, though. What will these kids do next? I'm kind of afraid to find out.

(Mental image that flashed across my mind when I typed that last sentence: my brother falling several feet out of an apple tree at the age of about 10 and my mom having him lay face down on his bed while she cleaned up his back and him crying.)

aaaaaaahhhhhh

I began the remodeling of my attitude and therefore the attitude of the household on Tuesday night. I snuck into my bedroom after I put the boys to bed and before Robert knew I was gone for some quiet reflection and scripture reading. I looked up "anger" in the topical guide and came across some very interesting things in Psalms and Proverbs. That quiet time alone was refreshing. Then, on Wednesday morning, I restructured our morning routine. Instead of cartoons and T.V. while I made breakfast, the boys simply played. The most amazing thing was that they didn't even seem to notice! It was hours later before Craig even mentioned the T.V. I turned on some church music, did the dishes, got us all ready for the day, and we went to the park. It made such a difference in the day and in myself, I can't even thoroughly describe it. We did the same thing today and I am looking forward so much to canceling our T.V. altogether. It's set to go off on Feb. 7, after the Super Bowl. :) The only T.V. we watched yesterday was during Ethan's nap when Craig and I sat and watched Ponyo. It was so cute and he really liked it. Today we went to the store, the bank, took the dog for a walk, and went to the Farmer's Market. How did I ever get anything done before with our old routine? I feel so much better and the boys are doing much better, too.

It's amazing what no T.V. and a little music can do.

I ain't gonna lie

Someone please tell me they can relate to this.

For the past few weeks I have been feeling awful. Not just nauseous and sick. But angry, mean, moody, and everyone (especially Robert) annoys the heck out of me. I keep waiting for this to pass, but it just keeps lingering! Maybe our family blog isn't the best place to post something like this, but I just need to know I'm not alone here. What do I do? I've said it before--I feel the old saying is completely true, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." That's how it is here. So now that I'm going through all this, everyone else is crankier and moodier, too, which (of course) makes it harder for me to cope. I feel like every last ounce of inner peace I've stored up through life has drained from me and I'm constantly in turmoil. I was moody with Craig and Ethan, but nothing like this. Maybe this one is a girl and she will be the biggest drama queen on the planet. Or maybe she'll get it all out of her system now through me and will be a little Jane Bennett. (You know, from Pride and Prejudice?) Or maybe it's just a baby causing all these raging hormones and the best we can do is hold on until it's over.

Any other tips or suggestions?

Reverie

I go through my days noticing things happening here and there and think to myself, "That would be a great blog post. You wouldn't even need pictures." Sometimes I even formulate clever phrases in my head. Later, I get some time to sit at the computer and...nothing. I can't remember a darn thing. Right now is one of those times. So, instead I'm going to write whatever comes to mind.

I've been thinking a lot lately about where I imagine us settling someday. I hate moving, especially long moves, so I've resisted the idea of leaving Arizona. Or Fountain Hills, for that matter. However, I've come to realize that I expect certain things in life in order to have a fulfilling experience. I can be happy anywhere that I have my family, so where ever the Lord takes (or keeps) us is where I can make a home. But if I could choose where we'd end up, it would have to meet these requirements.

1. Some semblance of different seasons other than just different temperatures.
2. In the country, but near enough to a city and airport.
3. Within an hour or two of a temple.
4. Small town, summer festivals, close knit community.
5. Average-sized ward, not the kind where you're lost in a sea of faces.
6. Farm land nearby to get fresh produce for canning.

That's all I can think of right now. Is that asking too much? Does everyone want the same thing--the "good old days?" Do you think it's possible? We used to live in a place that very nearly met all of these requirements. The only exception was it was three and a half hours from the temple, but all the other parts were so thoroughly met, it made up for the longer drive. That place was Stevensville, MT. I have felt home sick for that place for the entire year and a half since we left. When the decision came to leave Montana, I was so excited to come to Arizona. It has been everything I imagined it would be and I have thoroughly enjoyed all the benefits of living here: the zoo, the children's museum, the awesome libraries, the conveniences of living in a city, the restaurants. If nothing else, the job opportunities. Which brings me to the clincher. Places that I dream of living, places like Stevensville, Montana, are out there. The problem is not finding them or even moving to them, it's finding jobs in them. Where does a chef find work in a town with a diner that is only open for lunch and a family run burger joint? "Open your own place," people have said, but that takes $$ and there is a small chance of success in a place where the population of horses is higher than people.

I keep the faith that somehow, someday it will work out and we can go back to our life and our friends in Montana. That once we do, our sojourn here in the wilderness of the big city will have been something we "got out of our systems" and we'll raise our children in that beautiful place with the house, the land, the animals, and the small town life we dream about. Of course, I don't expect there to be no complications and problems once we reach our Eden, but I like to think their stings will be lessened by the healing powers of the Bitterroot Mountains.

Ah, well, now to reality. Off to get dressed, go to the library, and buy some diapers and dog food!

Guitars, guitars, guitars

A few days ago, Craig discovered Robert's and my guitars stuffed into the back of our closet and has been obsessed ever since. Every time I put them away, he pulls them out again. I'll sit and play it with him. He loves it when I "play it loud," he says. I only know two songs by heart anymore, but (bless his heart) each time I play one he acts like it's the best thing he's ever heard. The guitar in this picture is mine, the "less valuable" one. Yesterday, he was gone and totally quiet for about fifteen minutes, so I went looking for him. I found him upstairs in our room sitting just like he is in the picture. So cool. So mellow.

Unfortunately, today my guitar turned from being a really cool way to make sounds and music to a platform for his race cars. And then it was a stepping stool. Ah well, all good things must come to an end. My guitar now lives at the top of Ethan's closet until it can become "new-to-him" again.

Christmas Day

I didn't get many pictures of Christmas Day. I was either exhausted or too busy. Once everyone was up and at 'em, we started opening presents. Robert's mom was here for a few days, but other than that it was just us this year. I made cinnamon rolls and bacon for breakfast. Craig really had fun opening presents. We hadn't kept any presents under the tree at all so when they came down Christmas morning, they were all there and their stockings were full. I loved watching Craig as he came downstairs and saw it all. We'd been talking about Santa coming and leaving presents for a while, but I think he sort of got it when he saw it all there. Craig's favorite present is the red guitar we got him. In fact, it's the only picture I took. Don't ask me why he's naked. He's at that stage where he likes to take all of his clothes off.


He likes to watch The Wiggles and play his guitar. He'll play and tell me to sing and then Ethan will dance. Ethan had fun, too, but he was just going along with the opening of presents for the fun of it. Robert's mom got them a remote control truck which they love, too. I got Robert some cookbooks he's been wanting called Ad Hoc and Under Pressure written by his favorite chef, Thomas Keller. He has his first two books already, so this rounded off his collection. He got me a new set of kitchen knives. I've already broken them in and cut myself with them, too. :) I was pulling them out of the box and their wrappings and handing them to Robert as he put them in the knife block. I got so excited I wasn't paying attention and one of them nicked the heal of my hand. They're sharp, so it was a clean cut. :) We had prime rib, funeral potatoes, and asparagus for dinner and orange marmalade cake for dessert. The best part of the day, though, was unexpected. Once we were done with presents and breakfast, all of us adults felt totally wiped out so we laid down. The boys were so preoccupied by all their new stuff, we didn't have to worry about them. At one point, Ethan came in ready for a nap, so I put him down, too and went back to bed. All in all, I got about an hour and a half nap Christmas morning! It was very nice. We stayed in all day, watched The Muppets Christmas Carol, and played with the new toys.

I know it's been a great, fulfilling Christmas season when Christmas Day comes and goes and I feel ready to take down the decorations and get on with the new year. That's how I feel now. Not sad that Christmas is gone, but excited for what lies ahead.

Christmas Goings On

I tried to leave my last post up long enough for everyone to see it, but I guess people are getting busy with the holidays and don't have as much time for blogging and reading blogs, so I am moving on. If you haven't seen my last post, then be sure to scroll down.


Anywho, a couple Mondays ago, we went to the local Bass Pro Shops to see Santa and his winter wonderland. It was awesome! They had toys to play with, trains, so many things for a couple of little boys to see, and (of course) Santa! The line wasn't that bad (much better than the mall, I hear). I thought Craig would be afraid to sit on the old man's lap. Ethan is usually the one to be all for something new so we have to have Craig watch Ethan do it first before he wants to try. However, thanks to our morning friends at Nick Jr. and their Christmas cartoons, Craig was totally prepared for the hairy white guy in a big red suit. Ever since, he's been asking to go back and see Santa again. Ethan, however, was the reluctant one, but he made it through.

I've also been baking a lot of Christmas cookies this year. It's tiring and a lot of work, but there's just that Christmas spirit that makes it worth it. This year I did these:

One dozen Brandy Snaps, from Pioneer Woman (I used maple instead of brandy). Sadly, they were a disappointment. Not "snappy" at all--more chewy. Way too much molasses (unless you like that sort of thing, which we don't). I didn't even bother putting them on the Christmas plates. Oh well.

Four dozen Sugar Cookie Buttons with Licorice Laces. I got this idea from the Family Fun magazine but the cookie recipe I used is called Favorite Sugar Cookies from Tasty Kitchen (I think).

Four dozen Gingerbread Men. The recipe I used for these was actually a Swedish cookie called a Pepperkaker, which is kind of like a Swedish gingerbread but different and better. There are some wide variations out there, so if you want the recipe I used, let me know.


Two dozen Peppermint Chocolate Pinwheels from Food Network's 12 Days of Cookies eNewsletter. They are okay, but I wish I had used semi-sweet instead of unsweetened chocolate and the Favorite Sugar Cookie recipe instead of the one they provided. They made the cut, though.


And last but not least, 36 mice (some with Oreo bottoms and some without). If you haven't seen these before, they are really easy. I first made them with a lady and one of my companions on my mission. You dip maraschino cherries (with stems) in chocolate, set it on half an Oreo with the cream, push a Hershey Kiss on for the head, and stand up two almond slices for ears. I used left over Royal Icing from the gingerbread men for the eyes and noses. They're a lot of fun to eat, too. If you start with the head, it's kind of like a real mouse head: small, firm, but not too hard. Then the body is red inside and squishy. (No, I haven't eaten many mice in my day. Snails, yes, mice, no.) I know, that's gross, but I thought it was kind of a cool comparison nonetheless.

All in all, I made 156 cookies (including the mice) and distributed them onto about ten plates (I think) with some leftovers. Phew. Now we are off to deliver them! Happy Baking!

More NEWS

This is what I emailed to Robert at work last week and then called him and told him to check his email while I was on the phone. I couldn't wait until he got home.

Okay, it's only been a week since I found out but I can't stand not telling people anymore.

How am I feeling, you might ask? Great, until today. As I was going to bed I felt a little person inside my head begin pounding a little hammer. It didn't go away after (sort of) sleeping or taking Tylenol. The pounding is making me feel nauseous, the constant drumming kept me from getting much solid rest last night, and when I passed out for 20 minutes this morning, Craig and Ethan created about 30 minutes of clean up time by bringing a Tonka dump truck full of rocks into the living room and evenly spreading them around.

Regardless of all this, I am really excited and feel like this is the right time. I know this will all pass. More will come, but this will pass nonetheless. :)

Ladies and Gentlemen...our 2010 Graduate!

It's been 11 years since I began my college experience at Ricks in June of 1999. There have been many breaks in my education (work, mission, marriage, kids, etc.). Last year, fall of 2009, I began an online program through BYU-Idaho to complete my degree and here I sit, over a year later, facing GRADUATION!

I just took my finals and posted my last posts in the discussion boards. On Saturday, December 18, 2010 I will be an official graduate of BYU-Idaho with a Bachelors in University Studies and a minor in Communications!!!!!

This is something I have always wanted to accomplish but when Robert I got engaged six years ago, I knew it wouldn't happen traditionally for me. I can't explain how awesome it feels to have done this through what some people might call one of the most difficult times in life: having young children, moving, changing jobs, etc. Ethan was only five days old when I began my classes last year but I knew if I didn't take this opportunity now with this online program, I would never do it. I knew things would only get harder and more complicated as the years passed. In January I am starting an online program to get my teaching certificate and will be done with that by this time next year. If I've learned anything in life, I've learned that it's best to start now than to put it off (if possible). I am saying this for all of you out there who have been wanting to do something but didn't think you could right now.

There's no time like the present. Carpe diem!

(There. That's my graduation speech. :))

Our little Pavarati

We've been working with Craig on his ABCs and, since it's the same tune and The Wiggles sing it, he's learned Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. Here he is showing off. :)

What is it with kids, dogs, and blankets?

Craig is under the blanket.

I can't seem to wash or fold a blanket without these guys taking it first and rolling around on the floor with it. This one had just come out of the dryer so it was nice and warm. Why do they love these blankets so much, anyway? Are your kids/dog like that?

The 10 Best Cities for Babies/Young Families

I have a subscription to Parents magazine. Most of the time they offer pandering, irritating advice on parenting that only applies to wealthy, middle-aged parents living in big cities (like how to choose a good nanny, for example). I do like their family time ideas, though, and every issue usually has at least one good article. In the November issue they had an article listing the ten best cities for young families to live in. I hoped that the Phoenix area might have made the list somewhere, but I was pleasantly surprised. Did your nearest city make the list?

We live in a (relatively) small community called Fountain Hills. Most people know this area as Scottsdale. And Scottsdale borders Phoenix to the East. Here's the list, beginning at the number one best city to raise a family.

1. SCOTTSDALE! No, joke. :)
2. Fort Wayne, IN
3. Lincoln, NE
4. Pittsburgh
5. Portland, OR (We lived there, too.)
6. Madison, WI
7. PHOENIX! Again, no joke. :)
8. St. Paul, MN
9. Oklahoma City
10. Boston (That one surprises me)

All in all, the best places to live are either in Arizona or the midwest, for the most part. They actually had chosen 100 cities to survey in all. I'm not sure how they chose these 100 cities to being with, but here are a few facts about the rest of the list. You can go here to see the full list.

Number 11 on the list is Mesa! We lived there until earlier this year. Just south of Mesa is Gilbert, which made number 14 on the list and Chandler, which is slightly to the West, made number 17. Glendale, which is West of Phoenix, is number 25. Arizona is the place to be, folks. :) For all the NCRM missionaries out there, Raleigh made number 23 and Charlotte was pushed to number 77! Ha Ha! Even New York got #60. Other than that, for those Californians out there, Stockton did surprisingly well at #93 (being the armpit of California and all) and the very last city on the list? The one that had the worst stats for a family-friendly city? The worst crime, the least family activities, the worst child care resources, the worst finances, and the most dangerous place for a family? Number 100 on the list is................

MODESTO, CA!

For those of you who don't know, my hometown is about 1 1/2 hours away from Modesto, it's where our stake center was, where we would go to the mall, and the closest place with anything like an amusement park.

I just thought this was funny and ironic and interesting. I hope it was to all of you, too. :)

Where did you go, Fairport NY?

Fairport NY has disappeared from my site tracker and now Salt Lake City is stalking me....


I think I know who the culprit is.

Thanksgiving

Sorry, no picture. I wanted to take a picture on Thanksgiving Day, but it just didn't work out. I started on Wednesday and made a pumpkin roll, a pecan pie, a pumpkin cream cheese pie, boiled eggs to "devil" later, brined the turkey, and put together the sweet potato casserole to be baked on Thursday. I think that's it. Anyway, it was a busy day. Robert did the rest on Thursday while I cleaned and prepped the house. What a nice trade off, don't you think? We were trying to get some people over who might not have family nearby, but everyone either had family or were going out of town. We did, however, find a woman in the ward who has two sons in primary (so I know the family a little) but she's a single mom and the boys were with their dad for the day. Her parents were out of town visiting a sibling, so she was going to be all alone. We planned to eat at 3:00, but by the time we all sat down around then, Craig and Ethan were both sound asleep for their naps. So it was just the three of us with a huge table full of food. :) Eventually the boys did get up and eat a little, she took some leftovers home, and we worked on the food over the next few days. All that's left now is some stuffing and a few pieces of pie. And two bottles of Martinellis. I love Thanksgiving and the big gatherings of family and friends. This year was nice, but here's to hoping for more and merrier next year!

Cute things

Jade got a bath today. I also blow-dried her (what IS the proper conjugation for that word, anyway?) She looks pitiful, but I just can't help but laugh at her sad-sack little face. It's like she's pleading for her life. A wet dog is always good for a laugh.

Craig has been getting better with the camera lately. He's learning how to point and shoot. The other day he brought me the camera and said, "Mom, take picture of Craig." And then he smiled this toothy smile. One more thing about Craig: I usually tell him he's a big boy or a cute boy or a smart boy, etc. But when I ask him, "Are you a big boy?" he says, "No." However, the other day we were at Target and he was carrying a little hand basket which he had filled with toy cars (which were strategically placed on the bottom shelf of a display at the front of the store). He was really struggling with it so I said, "Do you want Daddy to help you carry that?" To which Craig replied, "No, I carry it. I'm a big boy." It was so cute and it made me laugh out loud in the middle of the aisle. Of course then he spent the next ten minutes saying, "I'm a big boy, Mom. Hey Mom, I'm a big boy. Mom? MOM? I'm a big boy!" I love my little broken record. :)

What could be better?

Popcorn and chocolate milk. They were in heaven. And so was I...they were quiet for about 20 minutes solid! Not long after this picture was taken, we were vacuuming popcorn off the couch, the floor, in between the cushions...

What have YOU won at a Relief Society activity?

We had an activity tonight where people were supposed to bring an unwanted item to "auction" off. Before the auction, we got "money" (or points) based on our answers to questions like, "Have you done your scripture reading everyday for the last month," and, "Have you done your visiting teaching." Then we used those points to bid on items. Someone (no one said who it was) brought two highly anticipated bags. Now, I've never been one for name brands and expensive things, but it was thrilling to win this. It's nice and roomy, too. It could hold some diapers, a water bottle, and a change of kid's clothes.

Or maybe I'll see what I can get for it on eBay. :)

A Belated Birthday Post

I have been meaning to get this posted, but time has been slipping by me. Robert started his new job on Friday and before that we were all just bumping around the house all day, trying to get things done without our normal routine. So, things have settled, Sunday has come (which is when I find time to do my posts usually) and this is the next one my list.

Robert turned 28 on November 7th! We were in California so we had a big dinner at my parents' house with my sister and her kids. For the birthday "cake" I made these peanut butter and jelly cupcakes that Robert is eating in his picture. They turned out really well and were so easy. I saw the idea on a Foodnetwork show called Cupcake Wars. You just mix together a cake mix, put a little dollop in the bottom of a lined cupcake tin, put a bit of jelly or jam in the middle, some more batter on top and bake as the box says. Then you frost with peanut butter icing. I used this recipe. That's it! Unfortunately, his birthday present hadn't arrived before I left for California and then it got mailed to our old address so he didn't get it until about a week after his birthday, but he loves it. I got him a set of CDs called Malt Shop Memories. It's all the fifties music a person could want. So, that's it. Happy birthday, Robert! I love you!

California, there we went

I've been dreaming of going to California for a visit all year. My chance finally came and we jumped on it. My aunt, who's been meeting with the missionaries for several months, decided to get baptized! At first I was debating about going due to other conflicting things, but when my mom told me that my brother was flying out from Colorado Springs to baptize her, I loaded up Craig and Ethan the next morning and we were off! It's been almost two years since I've seen my brother and his family and three and a half years since all four of us siblings were together. It was the best time of year to go. I love the fall and Sonora (my home town) has everything I love about it.

First, we went to a little farm called Covers (pronounced co-vers, not cu-vers). They have apple orchards, a train ride, and farm animals. Craig's favorite things were the chickens and the train. Here are Craig and Ethan with two of their cousins at the little hay maze there.


And here's the train. This little train ride was so peaceful. It goes around the farm and past the apple orchards. They even take you through two tunnels and you go around twice! Craig was so excited to go through the tunnels and Ethan was just about rocked to sleep by the motion of it. Oh, and that's not Cousin It behind me--that's the back of my sister's head.

The next day we went to a little state park/ghost town called Columbia. It's charming, nostalgic (I have many memories there plus it takes you right into Little House on the Prairie), and beautiful. Once again, we saw chickens! They sell little bags of feed you can throw in to them. Craig was cracking up when the seed would fall on their backs and they would frantically peck around for it.


When we were kids, one of the places we loved to go in Columbia was to what we called Rock City. Since Columbia is an old mining town, there are several places where the dirt was washed away, leaving these big, lumpy boulders exposed. It was very poignant for me to see Craig and my sister's girls playing on these rocks, discovering all the cool little nooks and crannies as if they are the first to find them.
Here are two shots to give you an idea of how pretty and serene this place is. It really feels magical (however corny that might sound). Yes, the first is an outhouse, but it makes me wonder the same thing I think every time I see an old building, "If these walls could talk..."

One picture I wanted to take but never had the chance was of downtown Sonora. There were these beautiful, vibrant red trees deposited here and there among the yellows and fading greens. I seriously wondered if those trees had always been there or if I had just never noticed them before. I guess when I was a kid I always thought that everyone's hometowns had trees that turned red and orange and yellow in the fall. Palm trees don't. (Sorry, Arizona. There are other things I love about you.)

My parents have a picture of my brother and sisters and I sitting on the seat of this wagon sometime in the late 1980s or early 90s. It was a traditional picture, so of course I had to have one with Craig and Ethan. Three of my nieces are riding in the back: L-R Lily, Lanie, and Kate. The next picture is of all the cousins on the seat together.

Saturday was the day we had been waiting for: Nancie's baptism. Here she is with my brother before the baptism.

It was a really neat experience. My parents have been members for almost 40 years and we all thought that if any of the extended family would be baptized it would have happened a long time ago. It just goes to show you that everything happens when it is supposed to happen. Here we all are together afterward. We had a little dinner and time to talk before heading home. Robert, the boys, and I went back to Sonora so we could attend church and celebrate Robert's birthday (another post).

Unfortunately, Scott's wife and three kids couldn't come out with him. He, himself, was only able to be there for about 24 hours before flying back for church on Sunday. But it was great to see him. Now that I think about it, we should have gotten a picture of all four of us together. Oh well. We'll just have to do that next time!

Halloween (finally)

I'm going to start with Halloween pictures and then move on to our California trip.

We had a busy Halloween this year. On Friday night we had the church party. It was fun, but Robert was working so we had cut the night short. I find my patience running short on things like that when I'm flying solo. Saturday was the town party. They had trick or treating at the businesses up the main street and at the top there was a smallish carnival. The best part of that was the fire truck. Craig got to touch it and sit in it and talk a real firefighter. He loved that part. Sunday we went trick or treating in a really good neighborhood near the elementary school. We got to dress up a lot, which I love to do. Craig really liked it, too, for the first time.

Craig was a little chef. Robert's been dying to get him his own little chef coat and we finally decided to justify it for his Halloween costume. He was resistant at first, but then decided it was totally awesome. Once he made the connection between Halloween=candy=party with friends, I could hardly keep the jacket off of him. Ethan wore the Batman costume that Craig wore two years ago. I made myself a gypsy outfit that I was rather proud of. Unfortunately, I was never able to get a really good picture of it. Here we are, all together:

Here's a close up of Ethan in his costume and below that is one of Craig when he was wearing it. It's funny to me because Ethan is over a year, but smallish for his age. When Craig wore the costume, he was only six months old.

The cutest little batmen you'll ever see! (By the way, Craig wasn't really standing at this age...I just wanted a full body shot so I propped him up against the couch. Two seconds after this picture was taken he fell over. )

I'm waiting....

I would like to say that we JUST got back from California and not that we've been back almost a week and I still haven't posted the pictures I promised, but unfortunately the last one is true. I do have a (kind of) good excuse, though. My camera batteries died while we were there and I hadn't brought the charger. My sister let me know borrow some batteries until we left, but then the old miser took them back when we left. :) I have been trying to charge the batteries, but something might be wrong with the charger or I keep plugging it into bad outlets. Unfortunately, I fear the first one is true. So, I need to buy some batteries. Or steal some from Craig and Ethan's toys. Either way, I will try to get those pictures downloaded soon and get them posted.

As another note (and another reason that I've had a hard time getting much computer time this week other than what I do for my classes) is because Robert's been home. He's starting a new job next week and he quit the last one when this new one was offered last week so he could come out to California. When he's home the routine changes and I can't seem to get some of the things done that I normally would, especially on the computer. We're really excited about the new job, though. He'll be working for a company called Lehi Valley Trading Company. They make snack foods and sell them in grocery stores. One of their biggest accounts is with the Kroger markets: Kroger, Frys, and Smiths. He will be the manager in charge of quality control and developing recipes for a new line of canned foods. It's a really great opportunity and just another step up on his career path. He'll work normal hours, too: M-F, 8-5. I'm really excited to have him off on the weekends and home in the evenings. We can count on him being home on the holidays and getting regular paid time off. Well, I gotta go. That's the update so far. More to come later.

Catching up

I have pictures from Halloween I want to post but have been in California this week. I decided to come as a last minute thing on Monday, so here I am. When we get back next week I'll have Halloween stuff and CA stuff. See you then!