Super Hero Day

Miriam's school had Hero Day in honor of Jared Vance, a second grader who recently passed away. If you want to feel the spirit of the season, and have renewed desire to express love this year, read all about Jared here. He was so young, so darling, and his time went so quickly.

All the classes in M's school participated in service project today to remember Jared and his desire to be a hero.
I didn't even know Jared, or his family but his story has affected me deeply.
I am grateful we were able to be a part of his day.

I know what it is like to have a boy with super hero dreams.

Project #2 Finito

Serving in Young Women's organization is a ton of work.
But work and service always bring blessings...always. Huge blessings in my life are the woman I get to serve with. We had a little get together tonight to assemble the girls Christmas gifts.
I forgot to take a picture of the gifts (to busy laughing and talking)...but did get one of the food before we got settled in. I didn't even get a picture of the amazing dessert side of the table, there was soooo much food.

I love it when service is so fun.

One project down....

I taught the Young Women (specifically Beehives) how to make fabric flowers tonight. The idea was that they could make inexpensive gifts for others (pins, hair bows, etc). We used scraps from my Mom, Grandmother, and Great Grandmother's old sewing projects.

They are a cinch and the girls loved it.

Here is the blog tutorial: Pink Paper Peppermints

On the First Day of December....

By putting off all housework, I had the tree up and ready to be decorated for family home evening yesterday. Part of the rush was that I had bought a Playmobil advent calendar for the kiddos. I knew they would love it and wanted to be able to use it on the 1st of December...I mistakenly thought Monday WAS the 1st of December.

It turned out to be a good mistake because we needed the rest of the evening to assemble the 95 piece advent calender in order to have it ready for December 1st. I didn't even think about having to assemble all the little boxes! It was a fantastic FHE activity in Mim's eyes, as she adores feeling helpful and Darin is wonderful at letting her help (I am a bit less patient). Bub was pleased as punch to run around the project nearly missing us with lacrosse sticks all evening.


For my record keeping: M's new ornament is the tiny fairies, Bub choose the school bus.

Thanksgiving 2009

Dinner on Danish Dishes.
Darin, my Dad and I were at the kid table in formal living room. I think we all fit in well there.
Wonderful food, funny conversation, a rousing games of the Farmer and the Dell.
Solid Thanksgiving day.

We had Erik and Kelly's beautiful home all to ourselves since they were gone for the weekend. We got the best of both worlds....rambunctious fun during the day and total peace and quiet at night! Thanks E and K!!

Friday, the men fixed my parents solar panels while the cousins ran around wild
The above picture is of Grandma's rock band (notice the rockin' ukulele).

Then Grandpa took everyone on a great hike to see the Rochester Panel

The girls (and Jared) saw New Moon.
I always was a Jacob fan.

Miriam cried as always as we loaded her into the car to leave.
My kids just can't get enough of Grammie and Papie's house.
Luckily Uncle Regan and Aunt Vanessa invited us over for dinner that night. A few dozen mini snickers and playing the Wii till 10:00 pm helped Miriam with her holiday let down.

Now the tree and our decorations are up and ready for Dec. 1st!!
But the bathrooms are a disaster, piles of laundry everywhere, my Young Women's project (which I need to teach on Wednesday) hasn't been started, library books are overdue, dinners are sketchy, Christmas cards are calling, cookies and hors d'oeuvres need to be planned and made for this weekend, and here I am blogging.
Typical.

Zion in the Fall

When friends of ours invited us to St. George to stay in their family condo, they said we were welcome to bring our kids.

Um...no thank you. This three day weekend makes up for months of not having a "date night" (one of my New Year's resolutions). We enjoyed ourselves so much, the day we arrived home we promptly found a babysitter and went on another date.

Thanks Erik and Laura for the invite.

So many huge thank yous to my Mom and Dad who watched the kids.

Thanksgiving Feast

Miriam ate: the roll, the whipped cream off her pumpkin pie, and drank chocolate milk

Thanksgiving is not her favorite meal.

I have been assuming everyone knows about our news.
People must not talk about me as much as I think they talk about me because I keep running into people (close to me people) who haven't heard.

We are expecting #3
the end of April
All of us...including Bub are excited, but Miriam is the best. She keeps track of how big the baby is and will call it by it's size description like so -
(M with her mouth to my belly) "hello there large mango! We can't wait to see you!"

We took the kids to the zoo last month to tell them the news. We sighed and laughed at the new baby elephant, monkey, tiger, and giraffe and then, while picnicking, told them we were getting our own new baby.
I thought that was pretty clever of us, and the kids got their zoo pass renewed so it was a good deal for them too.

I tried to tell Darin in a cute way but it backfired.

We both suspected I was pregnant (because I was so stinkin' sick) but I told him I couldn't take the pregnancy test for another week or the results weren't guaranteed. Really, I took the test on my own and sent it to his work in a box filled with candy and a love note.
Days went by and he didn't mention my package. Two days, three days...then I got nervous, his work is 10 miles away it couldn't take 4 days.

Our conversation over the phone:
Me: "Honey if a package sent to your work is addressed to you, you would be the only one to open it right?
Him: "What did you send to my work?" (he was nervous because a friend once suggested I send lingerie to Darin's work for our anniversary, wondering how he would feel about that I ran the idea past him . He said in no uncertain terms NEVER to do that.)
Me: "Oh nothing...I just was wondering...like no one else would open a package addressed to someone else would they? That's a federal offense even at work right?"
Him : "Tell me what you did"

After some hem hawing I reply: "Well, the good news is we are having a baby, the bad news is that the pregnancy test could be lost somewhere at your work, and you HAVE to find it or I will die of embarrassment!!"
Him (teasing me and laughing at me): "Elisa, you can't send bio-hazard materials through the mail!"

He finally found the package...the problem is that his work was moving locations that week and it had been sent to the new building while he was still working at the old one.

Not exactly the effect I was looking for.

Ready for not, here comes #3!

Pleasantly surprised

I bought the smallest package available for school pictures. Miriam has a lovely smile, however if you pose her and ask her to smile what she does looks nothing like her natural smile. She usually looks pensive.
It was a gamble and the odds were not in my favor.

I was very pleasantly surprised to get these back! Although it's still not Miriam's natural smile, it's close enough, and her cute dimple is showing. Plus, unlike family pictures, she got to pick out whatever she wanted to wear so there's a bit of self expression there. I love that school pictures never change (except the early nineties when we could choose the background...remember that? The lazer, the meadow, the mod shapes. That was a huge mistake.) I love that Miriam will have a set of slightly awkward posed pictures as primary school documentation...just like I do. Just like everyone does.

M and I went to the preview showing of a local theater's Scrooge tonight. They had the best Ebenezer and the cutest Tiny Tim ever! I am getting into that holiday mood.

Bring on the Turkey!
No that s not right, bring on the rolls and side dishes, who cares about turkey.

It's great to have cool older cousins. I would know, I had Kristi to hero worship when I was little.

Miriam has Alicia.

She actually has lots of cool older cousins (Cara, Emily, Danielle, Madeline, Madison) but Alicia now lives close to us, and also happens to love all things girlie. Alicia is a girl after my own heart, she will never grow out of things like....oh I don't know....say
DISNEY PRINCESSES ON ICE.
She took Miriam to see it last Friday and Miriam was over the moon about it!
Bub was disgruntled about it. We took him to the Planetarium to make it up to him.


We had kind of a Holiday kick-off weekend, with the P's on Ice and then Miriam's first choir concert. I am constantly fighting tears when this girl performs. I can't put my finger on what emotion I am feeling exactly...am I nervous? proud? pregnant? Whatever it is, it makes her performances less enjoyable having to clench my teeth and keep my face screwed up tight to keep the water works at bay.

and then there is Bub....this boy is something else.
He insisted on carting the remote around all day, trying to fast forward and pause us.

To my complete bafflement, he loves super heroes. I wouldn't be as surprised if he had ever seen a superhero movie, or action figure...but he hasn't. Seriously, this guy only watches Caillou, Kipper, Blues Clues and Pingu.

This is his prize library find. A superman board book found in the toddler section?!
He woke up on Halloween morning pleading "Spied-man, peas peas peas, mommy spied-man"
He went as a wolf (because I am the boss of the apple sauce)
but he ran around all evening with one fist in the air saying "supa-man!"

Both our kids have come to us with such strong personalities, it's been fun to sit back and watch them emerge. They are not me, they are not Darin....they are themselves, with a sprinkle of our influence.

Beauty Is...

Miriam's first ever Reflections entry.


Miriam said the ability of the cocoon, and caterpillar to protect themselves with camouflage is beautiful, and that butterflies just are beautiful.

I never participated in this school ritual as a child. I have never in my life taken an art or art history class. Never thought of myself as artistic. I am just now realizing that the difference between being artistic and not artistic, is more how you think of yourself rather than real ability. At least 90% of the arts and crafts I see are someones version of another person's idea. If all it takes to be artistic is put your spin on something you see...then by george even I am artistic...I do that all the time!

So I let Miriam go to town with this project. It was her idea to use clay, beads, to paint it (my idea to put it on a paper plate). I gave her no guidance whatsoever (other than gluing it on the paper plate). I hope the experience made her feel artistic.

Because she is...if she wants to be.

Stretching....

I did two things I am proud of today.

First: I made amazing gravy from roast drippings.

Second: I went to a fireside in Salt Lake ALONE..ALL BY MYSELF...WITHOUT ANYONE ELSE. I also SAT BY MYSELF!! Maybe you think a thirty-something women shouldn't be afraid to go places alone...but let me tell you, I could probably count on one hand the times I have ever EVER gone to an event alone.

You want to know how it was??

LIBERATING

it would have been just as great with friends, but to do it by myself...well, I am impressed with me.
I almost didn't go since our family was invited to a baptism that night, and I was feeling guilty on top of feeling shy and uncomfortable. Two things changed my mind. Darin, knowing how much I really wanted to go encouraged me and then, when I had decided not to go Miriam said "you shouldn't go mom, it's too big of a risk". A risk?? A risk to do something (a safe something) you want to do because no one will come with you?? I could just picture it...."I can't take band Mom, none of my friends are......I don't like Young Women's I don't have any friends there".

Sometimes you have to do good things alone.

My mind is still reeling from the things April and Rachel had to share. I couldn't begin to blog about the information, or my feelings...add to that Darin and I just watched Food Inc. and now we are reading In Defense of Food so I am all sorts of fired up about changing my attitude, my diet, my thoughts, my grocery bill....it's exhausting.

I will say this to my dear friends and family, I am no longer going to talk about dieting ESPECIALLY in front of my children. I am not sure what we will talk about but we will have to come up with something else.

Halloweenies

So stinkin' cute

Scary

The Haul

We had a very successful Halloween.
Main Street trick or treat.
Soup dinner with friends.
Trick or Treating with friends.
Miriam wakes up that night crying over a nightmare.

so yeah...all bases covered!

Game On

As I geared up for the worst case scenario (we have had BAD week long sickies running around our hood) Miriam's sickness was nothing.
1 day and 1 night of low grade fever, two afternoon naps and she is fine. Bouncing off the walls, snarfing on Halloween junk, begging for friends...

(if that was the flu with a little help from the flu shot I am one happy mama)

so we made our trip to Gardner Village.

It was COLD

We made a quick jaunt around to spy the witches, had our picnic in the bakery, and spent the rest of our time in the shops....of course that included a trip to Sweet Afton's to peruse the isles of candy.

We settled on fudge and were very happy with our choice.

Oh! and yes, I did make those Halloween costumes myself, see them here. It's all fabric glue, easy peasy stuff. Although I did hem the cape with a sewing machine...I know I KNOW I am pretty amazed with myself too. Once Darin had the bobbin full of thread and the machine threaded there was no stopping me.

What would I do without my husband...I wouldn't be hemming any Halloween capes that is for sure.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

The Celebration begins...and ends

Miriam's Halloween program today was the kick-off to our spooky weekend.

Today: Concert and Halloween themed play group

Tomorrow: School Halloween party, and Pumpkin Walk

Friday: Gardner Village for fudge and witches

(Bub is getting is two year molars {perfect- finger chewing during flu season..good grief} and note to self, stop ask him to smile for pictures)

Saturday: Neighborhood soup dinner and Trick or Treating!

Or wait.......

maybe not.

Maybe staying home all weekend with movies, apple cider, and chicken noodle soup.

Great Weekend

Miriam had her final show of Stone Soup on Saturday.

We were so excited to have guests come watch with us!

Afterward, we had an Indian food dinner party.

Grammie and Papa got a hotel room and let us come swim in the hotel swimming pool.

We were so happy to have guests to watch Miriam in the Primary Program the next day.

All the kids were given a subject and told to write their own ideas and testimony.
Miriam's subject was Mothers nurture the family...

Miriam's talk:
"Mothers nurture the family. My Mom nurtures our family by keeping us healthy, by making sure we do the right things, and by helping us do stuff we don't want to do."

We couldn't help but but smile at her perfect description of what motherhood is, and the congregation couldn't help but laugh out loud at her earnest delivery. The laughing, unfortunately hurt Miriam's feelings as she didn't mean to be funny, and she began to cry. She has a wonderfully sweet teacher who was able to settled her down. She finished out the program, singing sweetly and trying to keep the little girl next to her from bouncy off the walls.

The whole day was wonderful, with a trip to the park for the kids with Papa, and my dinner turning out well (which isn't always the case with my cooking).

Thank you Mom and Dad and Mom and Dad for making our weekend so great!

Theres a story there...

These pictures say so much...

Miriam "Just saying No" to drugs by saying "YES" to crazy socks for Red Ribbon Week.
It's raining buckets on PICTURE DAY so alas...no curls.
Miriam so excited to use her NEW umbrella purchased with gymbucks graciously given to me from my cousin Kristi.
Miriam, as always, concerned she will be late for school.

and Bub, he's just along for the ride.

Nose Tingling

I cried while watching Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert get married. I couldn't help it, the way he looked at her....my heart and my nose began to tingle which is a sure sign that the tears are on their way. It also reminded me of what Oprah said about how Christian looked at Nienie with such love. I cried through that too.

Being loved and adored by someone who knows all your flaws, and accepts your current less-than-perfect physical self makes me incredibly weepy.

Heres another one. Last month I spoke in our church. After I finished the wonderful woman who spoke after me gave such sincere compliments I actually truly believed her, and was satisfied with how things went (that rarely happens). Then she said the heart tingling part: "I enjoyed watching your husband gaze at you with such love and admiration throughout your talk, it was like watching a love story".

The tingling and crying continue..........

Apple Pickin' and Bean Snappin'

We made lots of applesauce today.
One of our cutest retired neighbors put a sign in their yard advertising FREE golden delicious apples if people would just come pick them. He said his wife is sick to death of canning and they still have apples sauce from two years ago. Luckily Bub and I were walking by just as the sign went up so loaded our stroller full of apples from the low branches, pet their bunny, watched the chickens peck around, and had a wonderful conversation with the cute retired neighbor.

I want to be so generous, kind, and full of wisdom someday.

Miriam performed her role of a bean snapper in the play "Stone Soup: a Dance Tale" this afternoon. She loved it, and is so excited she still has two more performance.

She is such a pretty, enthusiastic girl.

and here is another pretty girl.

Thanks for coming Alicia, it made Miriam feel so special.

*Edited to add: HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA!!

World History

While listening to the soundtrack Wicked yesterday, Miriam explained to me lifes historical timeline

It goes like this:

Adam and Eve....Pioneers.....Wicked.....Wizard of Oz.....Grandma is born....I am born....she is born.

Random Conference Weekend

This girl is spending 4 days with her Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins.
Luuucky!
She is having the time of her life.

And what are we doing without her?
Watching Conference of course
Learning how to cook lamb...including a rosemary paste rub.
(which turned out great and is such a relief because I had to really search to find it, and it was more expensive than I thought, and I have a tub of taziki sauce I bought at Costco to use up)
Playing with Bub
Eating yogurt with friends during the Priesthood session

Bub is such a character, its killing me how camera shy he is!!

Whapp

(I am totally getting my $'s worth out of these photos Leah took)

I am in a Blog Funk. The computer makes me feel ill, I haven't uploaded a single picture in September, but even if I uploaded them there would only be 4 with 2 little movies. I am fighting these feelings of funk because I must....I MUST document some family doings and goings on before it's too late.

Miriam is training wheel free!!
Still working on slowing down with the brake, but the girl is riding! It is all due to her patient father. Big shout out to Daddy!
That is what the 2 short movies would show, and maybe someday I will upload them but not today.
Miriam, after only a few weeks of school is using phrases such as "in my crew", "he's into me" and my personal favorite "my friend" as in "that is some good mac and cheese, my friend"

I have been trying to get creative with our massive tomato harvest. Waiting for the giant sunflowers to dry out, and de-rosebushing the yard. Not to mention walking Miriam to and from kindergarten five days a week. It's enough to make me home school, but she loves it.

Darin is getting a community yard sale together. We will be busy this Saturday!

Bub continues his foley artist training. His newest sound affect is "Whapp" (said with a nod of the head) meaning "yes" or "yep". Oh Bub don't grow up! I will miss this stage too much.

I am off to bed. Dentist appointment 7:00 am tomorrow...wish me luck!

I am a Debbie Downer tonight.

So, I think I will write about happy things and then go straight to bed.

Bub has orange fish in his pockets. Sometimes they flop out and he has to leap on them. You can feed them if you ask, and if you want fish in your pockets you can have them....any color you wish, but Bub's are always orange.

Miriam saw her teacher at the library today.
Whoa was that exciting! She got a sneak preview of the book they will read on Tuesday and had undivided attention while she showed off the books she had picked.

I got to look like a pretty great mother. All her videos just happened to be wildlife discovery type movies (luck), and Miriam said: "I just love to come here for books. And teacher, I read for 20 minutes everyday with my mom".

Mother of the year I tell you what.

Sometimes, we are lucky and we get to see a glimpse of the good things to come from endless exhausting (sometimes mind numbing) mothering moments.

Good night.