Journey: a daily portion; the act or an instance of traveling from one place to another; trip. Any course or passage from one stage or experience to another.
Casper agreed to help me start blogging again and write this first installment of 2012. Sadly, we've been on more journeys in the last year than we'll take in the rest of our lives and I guess we were just too busy to blog! What a loss! So, as we slow down our travels and my kids 'speed up growing up,' we begin again a b'log' of our growth and other adventures.
I'd certainly call it a journey: cleaning out the hermit crab cage. Did I mention that I can clearly see the fleas co-habitating with the crabs in their 'substrate?' It's disgusting. So, I 'googled' what to do with such a problem and, sure enough, there was an answer on eHow! Below is the story of our own eHow demonstration. I introduce you then to my cohost, "CJ Ghost."
I am dunking my hermit crabs in this salt water to sanitize them. I thought it was really weird for my hermit crabs to have fleas like my dogs--now I know that it can happen.
To sanitize the hermit crab toys, I put the toys and dishes in the boiling water for 5 minutes.
After we were done cleaning the crabs, we put them in this cage with a paper towel.
It was fun to watch them climb, again! It would be bad if I accidentally boiled the crabs for five minutes...
The last thing we did is take the toys out of the boiling water. Oh and remember not to put anything with glue! Our shell food dish fell apart!
To clean the cage we put apple cider vinegar and rubbed it on the sides and bottom.
We let it air dry and then decided to fill half the tank with sand and half the tank with a coconut matter to help keep in the moisture. We added the clean food dishes, a new climbing log, fresh sponges and clean shells.
You won't believe what happened...now we know the true reason the Tower of Pisa is leaning!!!
Tonight for family home evening we had some friends over to read Luke 2 and re-enact the Nativity. Stuffed sheep--Check. Eyeore as donkey--Check. Angel costume and Star--Check. Manger and baby--Check. Total chaos--Check. It WAS fun, even though our dog Oscar ended up in the manger with the doll and kids laughed through the entire narration.
Now I'm listening to my kids and husband play Monopoly. Is writing on my blog an excuse to miss out on playing Monopoly? Maybe. I get tense just thinking about it! :) I did want to share that it was Casper's turn this week to give a talk in Primary. I'm constantly being reminded that amid all the 'Crazy Christmas Preparations,' you HAVE to make time for what it's all about.
"In December, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We sing and think about that peaceful night when He was born in a humble stable. One day, He will come again but in great glory. No one, not even the angels, knows exactly when He will come again. However, the scriptures tell us this about His Second Coming: “I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God; wherefore, gird up your loins (which means to be brave and righteous) and I will suddenly come to my temple” (D&C 36:8).
Both Simeon and Anna were at the temple and saw Baby Jesus when He was there. They had been hoping and waiting to see the Messiah, or Savior. (See Luke 2:25–38.)
When He was twelve years old, He surprised the educated men in the temple with His understanding and knowledge. They knew the law and the commandments, yet the boy Jesus taught them. (See Luke 2:41–47.)
The “more righteous” of the Nephites saw the resurrected Savior when He appeared to them at the temple. Jesus Christ comforted and blessed them and filled them with joy and peace.
My friend Spencer was sealed to his family 2 years ago in the Mesa, AZ temple. My family and I were so happy for them and we drove to the temple to wait outside and celebrate with them. He was so surprised to see us. I was so happy, too, and it helped me want to go inside someday.
Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Those who keep the commandments will one day rejoice to stand in His presence. If we choose to do what is right and learn to help and comfort others, we can be the kind of people who will be at the temple when He comes in glory."
Plus, when you try to do what's right and help and comfort others, there is so much more happiness and peace in life!! I'm just praying that my kids come to understand that as they grow. Jesus is the REASON for the SEASON!
I haven't published in a little over a year--which is really a shame because we've really had some amazing journeys in the last year. Currently, we live in Virginia Beach, VA in the Great Neck area about 10 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. Matt was mobilized from a Reservist status in Phoenix to Active Duty Status at Little Creek Amphibious Base in Virginia Beach. We decided to move with him and experience the East Coast.
We attend the Cape Henry Ward and Whitney was assigned to speak in Primary on this month's theme: Jesus is born. A video would best depict her angelic delivery, but I don't have that, unfortunately. I still had to share it, though, since she typed it out herself using spell check, the search engine on lds.org under "angel" and the cut and paste feature from a Conference talk she found online by none other than Whitney Hinckley, "This Shall be a Sign Unto You." You may question her ability to do all this at the age of seven in the second grade. At their elementary school, kids are required regularly to Skype, Blog, type, write stories in Word and create math problems complete with drawings on the computer. It's amazing. The kids rise to the occasion. So, that being said, Whitney really wanted to do this talk without mom helping or practicing with her--I'm quite impressed! "Every year the first Christmas decoration my mom gets out is the nativity. She has always let us play with it. It’s fun for us to imagine that baby Jesus would like to visit Santa or ride on the train, too! One year when I was little my mom found me playing with the Nativity, holding the angel high above everything, saying, “Jesus is born!!!! Jesus is born!!!!”
The Angel is very important. He is a messenger of Heavenly Father for ALL of His most important events. For example, when Joseph Smith first prayed about which church to join—do you remember what happened? An angel visited him in the grove and told him to join none of them. Later, an angel visited and taught him in his room. All through his job as the prophet, angels gave him messages from God.
The angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth that she would become the mother of the Savior. (See Luke 1:30–33.) The same angel told the father of John the Baptist of his son soon to be born. (See Luke 1:13.) When Joseph and Mary and the baby Jesus fled to Egypt, it was an angel who gave them direction. When the wicked King Herod was killed, the angel told them to return home. (See Matt. 2:13, 19–20.)
I love dressing as an angel when we act out the Nativity story at Christmastime. It reminds me of my important job to tell others that Jesus was born and that he lives today."
So, I'm just DYING that I don't have a picture of what I'm going to talk about...POOP! Yep, POOP at Disneyworld! Can you imagine? On our last day in Florida, we arranged a late checkout and planned on spending the morning in the hotel pool. Matt, Stewart and Casper were already down swimming and Whitney and I came down later. I left the room without my room key and walked to the elevators. In the same instant that I pushed the button, I said to Whitney, "What is that smell!?!?" I looked down, and sure enough, my foot was in the middle of... POOP! Several other logs remained, untouched, and I stood there in shock. Marriott is known for allowing pets, which I appreciate. But seriously, people? Without my room key, I could not get my camera, nor could I take care of the poop on my shoes, so I had to head down to the lobby to ask them to wash off my shoes and report the disgusting incident. Needless to say, they were as shocked as I was. The manager quickly took my shoes to the laundry room and washed them for me and then I headed out to the pool to tell Matt. However, he was dealing with his own poop problem. Even after all the swimming we've done in our pool without incident, Stewart had decided that this was the day to poop in the pool. No, it did not stay contained in the diaper, either. GROSS!! Once all the poop was cleaned up and reported, we did have a good laugh and the lobby smelled wonderful and clean, better even than when we arrived, which leads me to the point of the title.
POOP HAPPENS. Even when you plan the dream vacation to Disneyworld. However, sometimes a little poop--or A LOT--makes the end result smell sweeter than before.
Originally, the trip was planned around Matt's annual training in Orlando in August and we were to meet him there when his work was over. Even better, the military is offering a great deal for a 4 day hopper pass and Southwest has some killer deals on fares, if you're watching. So Matt scored both and we were packed to leave, Matt taking our suitcase of clothes early. That night, Matt went to print our boarding passes and there was no email of confirmation, no tickets, no record of any purchase. To make a long story short, POOP HAPPENED and we didn't get to meet him on that trip. The military passes had to be used by September 30, so he found some plane tickets that were almost as good and we planned to go in September. It was difficult to find the perfect time to go around school, work, scouting and all the other stuff. Even despite our efforts, the kids still missed school pictures and our school doesn't include the retakes in the class pictures. We just did it, anyway.
When we started planning what we would each day based on a tour book, we realized that moving our trip just one month later guaranteed that about 25,000-30,000 fewer people would be in the parks and the temperatures would be actually tolerable. When we got off the plane in Orlando and went to get the rental car, we were able to score a free upgrade and the hotel allowed us a two-room suite instead of a 1 bedroom for no additional charge--all because we'd waited to travel in the off-season. Things were really smelling sweet!
Because Matt and I had never been to Disneyworld, we were blown away by the sheer size of the place. A 4-day pass would barely touch all that we could see just inside Disney and we headed off like gangbusters, tackling Epcot on our first full day. We were able to enter the park, heading straight for Mission:Space, the most popular ride, and discovered that Stewart was not tall enough to ride most of the rides in that park. However, he didn't seem to mind, especially since we took a detour immediately to meet Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and Donald. Later in the day, we met Stewart's favorite characters: Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. Watching the kids' faces, particularly Stewart's, as they met them was the highlight of the trip for me.
We picked up right away how to split up, Casper with one parent, Whitney and Stewart with another, and we covered the park pretty easily. It was estimated that we walked 13 miles in that first day in close to 100% humidity. I think that we had the most fun at the educational games as a family. I also loved the talk with Crush, the sea turtle from Nemo and the Nemo ride. Casper had the most fun on the Test Track and Mission:Space.
The next day we tackled Hollywood Disney, which, in hindsight, is for kids Casper's age and older. Whitney was overcome by the noise of the shows and we slowed down, repeating things that she enjoyed. First aid gave us several pair of foamies which blocked the noise somewhat. The fireworks each night were particularly rough until we rigged the perfect getup: foamies and folded goofy ears, with mom or dad's hands over the top.
The highlight of the day for Casper and Whitney both was fighting Darth Vader after attending Jedi Training.
The third day was our rest day which we spent in the pool and then decided to head over to the beach at the last minute. Being used to west coast beaches, the warm, rougher water was really something to see. The kids probably would've enjoyed an entire day, running in the water and digging in the sand.
We were really looking forward to the next day at Magic Kingdom, beginning with breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table. We awoke early to the sound of Casper vomiting. He had not been feeling well the night before and we had been unable to get his blood sugars down all day or night, even after changing his sites and insulin 3 times. I just thought that he was getting sick and that with time, he'd be fine. We took him to the breakfast because we had reservations that could not be cancelled. He was so brave, smiling for a few pictures, trying to have fun.
While Whitney and Stewart laughed and had fun with the princesses, POOP HAPPENED. Casper continued to vomit through the breakfast and we took him to first aid to rest immediately. I took Whitney and Stewart on a few of the rides while we hoped that Casper would feel better with rest and hydration. But at 11 when we met to trade, Casper was no better. Even after having diabetes myself for almost 30 years, I didn't recognize his illness for what it was: diabetic ketoacidosis or DKA. After wise encouragement from the nurses, they called an ambulance for us and we took a ride to Arnold Palmer's Hospital for Children where we spent the next 2 days and 1 night.
As soon as he was given the IV, he stopped vomiting but didn't begin to 'perk up' until the following day when his electrolytes were balanced enough to bring his blood sugar down so that he could start eating. He had incredible nurses and a staff of doctors who apparently see this ALL THE TIME: kids in DKA while at Disneyworld. I was SO disappointed and angry at myself for not recognizing the symptoms brought about by the stress of the last 3 days, the heat, dehydration and high blood sugars. POOP happened.
As I layed in the bed with Casper, I was overcome with so many emotions: gratitude that we were in a good place that could get him on his feet again, a husband that was able to help Whitney and Stewart still have fun, health insurance, medication to keep my son and me alive and a family that gave us so much support. Wednesday night we were discharged and when Matt came to meet us, he told me that not only had Disney given us our two days back, but he was able to change the plane tickets to Saturday with only a 5 dollar difference in cost. We were able to still take Casper to Magic Kingdom, using a wheelchair this time so he wouldn't get too tired. Overall, it was an amazing, exhausting, overstimulating, expensive, magical, sweaty, tearful, beautiful, unforgettable, full of family-bonding vacation.
Poop happens. Even when you plan the dream vacation to Disneyworld. Sometimes a little poop--or A LOT--makes the end result smell sweeter than before. I never would have enjoyed Magic Kingdom as much as I did those last two days, grateful that my son was alive and that we could all spend the time together as a family.
I looked out my parents' living room window today and saw all the flags. I was puzzled for a moment, Labor Day was Monday. Then I remembered that today marks that anniversary of one of the most terrible days in my nation's history since I've been alive: September 11, 2001. It is fitting, too that I'm here in Utah, again, visiting my parents as I was back then.
"Matt and I had just been married that January and he was deployed at the end of August to Saudi Arabia. It was a difficult separation for me, so I was in Salt Lake City visiting family and working on a project for a professor that had overseen my thesis at the University of Utah. I was sitting in the car, waiting for my mom to take me up to the U. and listening to the radio. I heard the announcer break in and say that a second plane had crashed into the twin towers in New York City. I first thought it was an advertisement. Then I ran into the house to tell my mom and turn on the TV. I watched in disbelief and cried. I went up to the University but didn't do any work, just watched TV with all of the students and teachers in the cafeteria. Matt didn't call from Saudi Arabia very often due to the difference in time and his schedule, but he made sure to call me and his parents as soon as he could to let us know the base there was safe but in total lockdown. For the rest of his time there, 3 months, he carried a gas mask wherever he went and never left the base. A year later, Matt and I were able to visit Ground '0' on the 4th of July. We talked about several men he had known in his career that died that day in the airplanes. I cried then and felt so angry that anyone could hate a nation or people enough to destroy so much, especially so many lives. I'm grateful to live in a nation where terror is not usually the norm, that I can be angry about it when it does happen and that so many good people have come together to heal and help each other."
My next post will give the details of what it's like since that fateful day to go through an airport and fly on an airplane with a 30 lb. compressor, a nebulizer, two insulin pumps and all the medicine that goes with them.
I'm sad to realize that my last child is old enough to go to preschool. I'm thrilled, though, that I get to be part of his preschool years with a great group of ladies and their sweet kids. This week was my first turn and we focused on the letter D. I couldn't resist my own 'dinosaur dig' and a Mercer Meyer favorite, 'The Lost Dinosaur Bone.' Anything with paint is always a hit, even over playdoh! We covered ourselves in paint and stamped out a few dinosaurs in all colors.
How can you study the letter D and not talk about dad? The kids really had warmed up on their second day at my house, so I got to hear their sweet comments about how they loved their dads to sing and read to them and that, "My daddy wears a watch!" They each showed pictures and then we painted the word, DAD. We had a blast singing, "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home!" and it reminded me of my own mom practicing that song with us to surprise our dad when he came home from work. I'm really thankful for dads today and was just so happy that each one of my new little friends has a special dad, too and that I know them and respect them all. One is an amazing organist, one is the Cubmaster that I now work with in Cub Scouts; one dropped their daughter off today so that his wife could 'get stuff done;' they all make it a priority to spend time with their kids and be silly with them. Dads are so important and I'm so glad that my kids have one that will spend all evening practicing math, reading school books and even practicing the piano. I'm grateful for my own dad, too, who still always makes time for me.
I didn't think they'd let me in. You know, the admin of this swell blogger forum. Miraculously, I remembered the password and all. I accept my friend, Wendy's challenge in honor of National Blog Posting Month: http://www.nablopomo.com. After not posting since February 25, I start again and will blog everyday for a month. To begin, I reference my post from last year:
"The transition from summer to fall, that significant weekend of Labor Day, always symbolizes change and new things to come. It's the start of a new school year, the start of autumn and all its festivities. I love it! I think the most memorable of school years was starting junior high at Bonneville in 1986 (and how terrified I was) and BYU with Jennifer in August of 1991 (and how terrified I was). For our family, Labor Day also marks the start of the holiday season, beginning with my parents' anniversary on September 5. (They celebrated their 40th this year!)
"The end of August has since become significant for me for a lot of other reasons, more important than any school year or holiday celebration. I was set apart as a missionary and entered the MTC on August 30 in 1995. The fall always reminds me of those two months in Provo where my testimony of Jesus Christ grew more than any other time in my life.
Five years later, Matt and I were officially 'engaged' on Labor Day in 2000. He drove 12 hours from California to bring me the beautiful ring he had picked out. We had a memorable barbecue in my parents' backyard that Labor Day weekend with my parents and my brother, Ben, and and his new wife, Launi (just married on August 9, 2000).
Just two short years later, our first son, Casper, entered the world at 8:15 a.m. on August 31, 2002. Matt's and my life were changed forever. We became parents."
This Labor Day weekend, we celebrated Casper's 8th birthday and new beginning on the path to our Savior, Jesus Christ, as he entered the waters of baptism and became an official member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He was so humble and brave and eager all at the same time. Although you could see his nerves all over his face in the font, he came into the room afterwards, smiling, and told everyone there that he felt 'great' for doing what he did. I especially enjoyed my dad's talk about the gift of the Holy Ghost that we receive with the confirmation after baptism. Dad compared it to our internal GPS. When I drive with our GPS, I am OFTEN prompted to make a U-turn, which is exactly what the Holy Ghost does: prompts us to turn around, away from sin and bad decisions and quietly directs us towards better paths. I am so grateful for this guidance and extra help, especially when I'm actively seeking a specific answer.
Another thing that helps is when I'm surrounded by other people who are also trying to listen to that quiet voice, trying to make the best decisions they can and do not hesitate to admit a wrong turn and quickly correct it. This weekend we felt the love and support of our good friends and family as they rallied around Casper to celebrate his big day. The day was perfect: great food, great friends, great weather, all celebrating a great decision. It truly is GREAT to be EIGHT!
My kids are good kids. They are brave. They work hard. I am proud of them. I hope they always feel they can 'speak out' when something is important to them.
Whitney gave her first talk in church on January 23 and yes, I recorded it. Isn't she sweet?
Casper was invited to be part of Centennial High School's NHS fundraiser for the American Diabetes Association. It was a last minute decision, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. I shouldn't have worried. Who wouldn't be amazed by a kid like Casper? See for yourself. After his talk, they invited him to be one of the youth ambassadors for the ADA next year and to share his story at specific fundraisers.
I think it will be a good experience for our family.
Today marks the ninth year since Matt and I were married. Our wedding day was a special day for me, starting a new life with the person I chose to love, honor and 'stick by' all the rest of my life and forever. I've never once looked back with regret, not even during the rough spots. I lucked out marrying a man who loves me for who I was on that day, who I am now and who I'll be. Hopefully, for his sake, THE BEST IS YET TO BE!
I'm thinking that over the past three years I may not have been the easiest Lori to love. If you know me at all, you know I've struggled during the last three years since our move to Phoenix. We moved under very difficult circumstances in a short amount of time and my sorrow led me into a downward spiral of depression and deep despair, despite all the tremendous miracles, love and good that surrounded me. With the patience of Matt, my family, new and old good friends, time and sometimes just 'faking it,' the depression has lifted and we're moving foward, to the point now, that Matt and I have decided to purchase a home that suits our family better a few neighborhoods away and rent out our current home. The decision has been a difficult one (for me, especially!) because I'm afraid of repeating the past. Or is that really the problem?
While I was visiting Matt's sister's family after Christmas in Afton, Wyoming, I sat down to read the monthly magazine that our Church publishes, The Ensign. One of the first articles literally LEAPT off the page, right from the title: "The Best is Yet to Be," where Elder Jeffrey R. Holland says, The start of a new year is the traditional time to take stock of our lives and see where we are going, measured against the backdrop of where we have been. I don’t want to talk about New Year’s resolutions, but I do want to talk about the past and the future, with an eye toward any time of transition and change in our lives—and those moments come virtually every day.
As a scriptural theme for this discussion, I have chosen Luke 17:32, where the Savior cautions, “Remember Lot’s wife.” What did He mean by such an enigmatic little phrase? To find out, we need to do as He suggested. Let’s recall who Lot’s wife was. The story, of course, comes to us out of the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, when the Lord, having had as much as He could stand of the worst that men and women could do, told Lot and his family to flee because those cities were about to be destroyed. “Escape for thy life,” the Lord said. “Look not behind thee … ; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed” (Genesis 19:17).
With less than immediate obedience and more than a little negotiation, Lot and his family ultimately did leave town but just in the nick of time. The scriptures tell us what happened at daybreak the morning following their escape:
“The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
“And he overthrew those cities” (Genesis 19:24–25).
My theme comes in the next verse. Surely, with the Lord’s counsel—“look not behind thee”—ringing clearly in her ears, Lot’s wife, the record says, “looked back,” and she was turned into a pillar of salt (see verse 26).
Just what did Lot’s wife do that was so wrong? As a student of history, I have thought about that and offer a partial answer. Apparently, what was wrong with Lot’s wife was that she wasn’t just looking back; in her heart she wanted to go back. In short, her attachment to the past outweighed her confidence in the future. That, apparently, was at least part of her sin.
Faith Points to the Future "As a new year begins and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead and remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives.
So a more theological way to talk about Lot’s wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord’s ability to give her something better than she already had. Apparently, she thought that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as what she was leaving behind.
To yearn to go back to a world that cannot be lived in now, to be perennially dissatisfied with present circumstances and have only dismal views of the future, and to miss the here and now and tomorrow because we are so trapped in the there and then and yesterday are some of the sins of Lot’s wife.
After the Apostle Paul reviewed the privileged and rewarding life of his early years—his birthright, education, and standing in the Jewish community—he says to the Philippians that all of that was “dung” compared to his conversion to Christianity. He says, and I paraphrase, “I have stopped rhapsodizing about ‘the good old days’ and now eagerly look toward the future ‘that I may apprehend that for which Christ apprehended me’” (see Philippians 3:7–12). Then come these verses:
“This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).
No Lot’s wife here. No looking back at Sodom and Gomorrah here. Paul knows it is out there in the future, up ahead wherever heaven is taking us, that we will win “the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
So, this is MY lesson: I'm Matt's wife, not Lot's, and "this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before." Email me for the new address!!
We've packed the car and unpacked the car. Packed the car and unpacked the car. On Saturday, we'll pack the car and unpack the car, yet again, as we (hopefully) arrive home in Phoenix. It's been a great trip to visit Grandma Jensen, Uncle Richard and 5 of his kids; Uncle Newel and Aunt Kate and their 3 girls; Grandma and Grandpa Casper; Uncle Ben, Aunt Launi and Jackson. We've reenacted the Nativity, made cookies for Santa, gorged ourselves on yummy food (more than once), wrapped and opened presents, shoveled snow, waged two marshmallow fights, played the Wii, traveled to Afton, Wyoming, played with our cousins, listened to one great missionary homecoming talk, petted a cow and three dogs and sledded on more than one great snow hill. It's been a busy, fun-filled vacation and now I'm ready for a nap!
...I was born. So I thought I'd write about me. Following my cousin, Marnie's, lead, I'll write 37 things to love or hate about me.
1. I married the man I had a crush on when I was 12 years old. 2. We've been married 9 years in January and they have been the happiest, hardest, most rewarding, saddest, most joyful of my life. 3. I always thought I would get married long before I did. 'Glad it worked out that way! 4. I have Type I, insulin dependent diabetes and I wear an insulin pump. 5. I recently realized that youth is no longer on my side--I'm trying to eat better, lose weight and exercise everyday. 6. I may even go completely gluten free this year. 7. I have three children and my oldest was born just a few months shy of my 30th birthday. 8. I had my youngest the year I turned 35. 9. I always worried about having a girl, but am very glad that we have one! 10. I've had the same best friend since kindergarten and I wish we lived closer! 11. I lived in Salt Lake City, Utah for 21 years in the same house before living anywhere else. 12. Since then I have lived in three other states: Texas, California and now Arizona. 13. My favorite state to live in so far is California. You just can't beat the weather and the proximity to all the favorite vacation spots. 14. I was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Houston, Texas in October 1995- February 1997. 15. I loved learning Spanish and wish I used it more. 16. Before I was married, I worked for the Utah State Health Department and helped design their Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. 17. I finished my Masters of Science in Public Health the month before my wedding. 18. I'd like to go back to nursing school when the time is right. 19. I love to take pictures of family events and the silly things my kids do. 20. I have over 20,000 pictures saved on my computer since we got our first digital camera in 2004. 21. I love to scrapbook. 22. I have trouble staying on top of my scrapbooks because I have so many photos! 23. I enjoy traveling, especially when Matt comes along. 24. My favorite trip before we had kids was to Germany after Matt finished his service in Saudi Arabia. 25. My favorite trip with my kids was camping in the Grand Canyon. 26. I knew nothing about the military before I married Matt. 27. I now know enough about the military to be grateful for the men and women willing to give their time and lives away from their families to serve their country and to keep our country free. 28. I don't know enough about the military to understand all the acronyms. 29. Growing up, I suspect that I was pretty hard to live with and am very lucky to have had parents that listened to me, anyway. 30. I'm pretty hard to live with and I'm very lucky to have a husband that loves me anyway! 31. I have a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know he suffered for my sins so that I can repent, become better and live with Him again. 32. I am pretty hard on myself and often wonder, "Am I getting any better at this?" 33. I love to read a good book and am always looking for a good recommendation. 34. I appreciate a good Diet Coke. 35. While I despise wearing nylons, nothing feels better than a great fitting bra! 36. I play the organ for church and want to start taking lessons, again. 37. I love working in my kids' classrooms, even just to peak at what they are doing.
So, there you have it. I might edit them later, but it's time to get on to my other job--cleaning the wreck before playgroup tomorrow.
We couldn't have asked for a better weekend to see Santa. Our good friends, the Carlsons, generously invited us to join them in their timeshare weekend in Flagstaff with a visit to the North Pole on the Polar Express. On Friday, we ate a late Thanksgiving dinner, played peewee golf, drank hot chocolate and put together puzzles and played games. The highlight was seeing Joshua back home with his family, starting to enjoy many of the things he did before he entered the hospital that scary day 6 weeks ago.
Saturday had a magical feel, as snow was in the air and everyone around us was dressed in their pajamas. Once we were on the train, we ate cookies and drank hot chocolate and listened to the story of the Polar Express. Before long, Santa entered the train. It was difficult to get the right angle for the video and photos, but the sound captures perfectly how excited Stewart was to see Santa this year.
Casper has entered the stage of the skeptic, as you can tell by his vigilant stare to see if Santa knows him and whether he has a real beard or not. He was very attuned to the fact that this year's Santa was too busy to even ask him what he wanted for Christmas, so I can tell that ring of the bell is getting harder and harder for him to hear.
Whitney was so excited to see Santa, she was speechless as to what to ask for--suddenly saying, "A dog!" A dog? Isn't she terriried of dogs? Well, maybe she's warming up to the idea...
We loved that we were able to start out our Christmas season with such a fun activity and that we are all actually looking at the camera at the photo shoot with Santa.
I hope this posts before Thanksgiving is over because it was a good one. Relaxing for the most part, full of good conversation, friends, and memories of the past year. I couldn't resist listing a few of the things I'm grateful for.
The week started out with the kindergarten field trip to the Wildlife World Zoo. It was a beautiful day and I spent the day with 7 cute girls and another fun mom, touring the zoo, watching the animals and eating snacks together. I love how they all take turns and hold hands.
I'm thankful that I'm able to be home and around my kids at their young ages and watch them take joy in the little things.
On Tuesday we had Casper's checkup at the CF Clinic and he had gained 4.5 pounds and 1 inch since August! His Celiac Panel came back NEGATIVE, so that means the gluten free diet is working and he is able to absorb food better! Needless to say, we were THRILLED!
I am so grateful that we are able to have the medical care we need to help Casper be as healthy as he can be. I am thankful for gluten free food that tastes good! :)
Wednesday was the school Turkey Trot and I was amazed to see my kids move faster than they ever have in their lives (except for the Turkey Trot last year!) The day ended with the best news we've heard all year: our friend, Joshua, was home from 6 long, scary weeks in the hospital. It is a true miracle that he is home with his family and recovering well. We can't wait to see them on the Polar Express in Williams, AZ on Friday!
We're thankful for our bodies and for our good health!
Today we spent the afternoon renewing our friendships with Bruce and Kathy Meyer, Matt's cousin's family and some of their friends. One family brought their five children and they hit it off with our kids. I was overjoyed to see Casper holding hands with their 3 year old to comfort her. When he told their 10 year old that he was cool, the boy responded, "Really? Most people don't think I'm cool. Thanks!" I thought he was pretty cool for being so kind to Casper.
We're thankful for new friends and old ones, too!
I spent the morning cooking gluten free stuffing, chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin pie and sweet potato casserole. Matt went to the store TWICE for me for ingredients I'd forgotten.
I'm thankful for my patient and kind husband who is always willing to drop whatever he is doing to run an errand or help me in the kitchen.
Now, we enter my most favorite time of the year and my goal is to focus on the Savior for a moment each day and how He has blessed my life with his birth and His life.
I am thankful for a living Savior and for a Heavenly Father that listens to and answers my prayers.
The only chili I know how to make is from my friend, Carla. In her honor, I made her yummy chili for the MOMS Club Annual Chili Cookoff today and won by a 'landslide.' I was embarrassed and felt a little guilty, too. Afterall, I'm not a good cook. I just know a good recipe when I see it.
So, here are two more recipes that got rave reviews at the cookoff and have been added to my recipe repertoire. Eat up!
Carla Carlson's White Bean Chicken Chili
32 oz. box of Swanson’s Chicken broth 1 – 16 oz. jar of Sadie’s Salsa: “Not as Hot” flavor 2- 16 oz. cans of Great Northern beans 1- 16 oz. can of Navy Beans 1- 16 oz. can of White Kidney Beans 3 chicken breasts 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese sour cream green onions
Directions: -salt and pepper pounded chicken breasts, grill, and then shred with two forks -Drain and rinse all beans -Set crock pot to high and add broth, salsa, all beans, chicken, chili seasoning and cream of tartar. Stir occasionally. -After an hour (or when ingredients start to bubble) set crock pot to low -If chili looks watery, remove lid for a short time (20-30 minutes) -Cook all day or even overnight -An hour or so before serving, add cheese into crock pot and let melt -Add sour cream and onions to taste at serving time
NOTE: original recipe called for only ONE can of Great Northern Beans, BOILED chicken breasts, PACE instead of Sadie’s salsa, Cumin instead of Chili powder, and 1 cup each of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses instead of Colby Jack combo. It seems to be a “winner” either way!
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins Cooks.com
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour* ¾ cup sugar 1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice 1 tsp. baking soda ¼ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. salt 2 eggs, beaten 1 cup pumpkin ½ cup butter, melted 1 cup chocolate chips
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, pie spice, soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and butter; whisk until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour over dry ingredients and fold in with spatula until moistened. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until puffed and springy to touch. Turn out onto rack and cool. Makes 12-14 muffins.
*Gluten free flour or baking mix can be substituted with yummy results!
I'm really not. I have good intentions, just not that intuitiveness that is key to consistently good meals. However, I DO have a few tried and true recipes that ALWAYS get me into trouble at parties: they give the impression that I'm a good cook. I just know a good recipe when I see one. So, I wanted to share two that we use at this time of year.
*Beware, if you make one of these, people will think you're a good cook, too!
*Ginger-Cranberry Chutney
1 package (12 oz.) cranberries 1 large tart apple, peeled, cored & diced 3/4 cup sugar 2/3 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate 1/2 cup raisins 1/4 cup lemon juice 2 Tbls. grated orange peel 1 ts. ground allspice 1-1/2 ts. ground ginger 1/4 ts. ground cloves 1/4 ts. cayenne pepper 3 packages (8 oz.) cream cheese Crackers
In a saucepan, combine cranberries, apple, sugar, apple juice, raisins, lemon juice, orange peel & spices. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 25 minutes or until thickened. Cool. Serve 1 cup of chutney over each package of cream cheese. Spread on crackers.
Ingredients: (Main): 3 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes ¼ cup milk ¼ cup orange juice 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ½ cup white sugar ½ teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons butter, softened ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (Topping): ¼ cup butter, softened ¾ cup packed light brown sugar ½ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup chopped pecans
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 2-quart casserole dish. 2. In a large bowl, blend together the sweet potatoes, milk, orange juice, eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, butter, nutmeg and cinnamon.Pour into prepared casserole dish. 3. Mix together the ¼ cup butter, brown sugar, flour and pecans; sprinkle over sweet potatoe mixture. 4.Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
...ICE CREAM. My three kids were sharing it. That's right. SHARING. Without encouragement from me. Granted, it WAS ice cream. They each had a different flavor and all eagerly wanted to try them all out. However, they were negotiating and licking and tasting without a referee. It was really SWEET!
I'm going for a record number of entries since I started blogging 18 months ago. I swear this is because the days are going by more quickly as my kids get older. The more activities we have to write about, the more quickly the time passes!
Tonight I asked my friend, Wendy, "How do you make yourself sit and enjoy yourself without getting mad or stressed--without even taking pictures? Even then you are watching through a lens and you're not really enjoying yourself. She assured me I'd be able to do that when my kids are older. I could only think that by then they won't want me to watch them, let alone take pictures of them!
So tonight, I tried to sit and watch the kids play their games, pass out candy and interact with the other kids at the ward trunk or treat. I don't do that enough. In the kids' classrooms this year I didn't sign up to run a booth or do anything other than provide supplies and be there to watch. I actually had fun, had time to hug them both and laugh at their antics. It was a good feeling to just watch and see what they enjoy. I still had to take pictures, though!
Well, not really, but I think I'm done visiting farms for the year. It's just too cold. Like 60 degrees. Only in Phoenix, Arizona, would 60 degrees and some wind be considered legitimate excuses to suffer on a field trip and cancel baseball practice. I even thought to myself when considering whether to leave my jacket on the bus today, "It's 60 degrees, how wonderful! Enjoy it!" So I headed out with 100 first graders and had to get a sub for my group as I headed right back to the bus for my jacket. I guess a 30 degree swing in temperature in two days can do that to a girl. I did survive, though, and came out ahead with 6 radishes, 2 cucumbers, a zucchini, 1 pumpkin and the delight of my 7 year old who still thinks it's great that his mom is riding on the bus with him and his friends. Priceless.
On Friday we celebrated Matt's 42nd with a visit to Schnepf Farm in Queen Creek, AZ. Quite a little jaunt, but well worth the drive and the $12 each (Stewart is still endearlingly free). After arriving at 2 p.m., we hit the hayride, Whitney had her face painted, we checked out the Arizona mushy pumpkin patch and overall enjoyed the beautiful farm and wide open spaces and mature trees. Eight hours later, the kids still didn't want to go home. Because we started in the day, they were able to ride all the rides without a wait. Stewart LOVED the roller coaster and swings. Unbeknownst to us, he rode well under the height requirement. That night, we paid the price when his passage was denied for a repeat. Whitney even 'tried' the roller coaster, something we've been practicing, and she decided she probably didn't like it. I was proud of her for trying. We rode the train at dusk, the perfect time to ride before the 'spooks' turned scary. Then we ended the night by roasting marshmallows and listening to some blue grass music. I loved the carousel, the gocarts, and the numerous playyards, treehouses, trains and places for the kids to run. We'll definitely return. Next year.
OK, so I've never posted a craft on my blog, but I love reading other people's blogs for craft ideas. This one turned out so cute, I just had to share it. The idea came from a MOMS Club activity that we weren't able to attend. I was excited when a friend made them at her daughter's birthday party, where we made the kids' t-shirts. From there, we made dad a shirt for his birthday.
The kids' upside down footprint made the perfect ghost. Their hands (minus the thumb) overlapping at the palm made a scary spider, even fuzzy around the edges. I thought it especially clever to add my OWN hand print spider right on his shoulder. :) Regular acrylic paint worked just great and washing the shirts beforehand prepares the surface better to absorb the paint. We used fabric paint for the eyes.
It took 3 tries to get the transfer to work right, but it was pretty easy once I followed the directions on the package. I didn't know about the mirror image feature in Word/Publisher, but it worked just like it said it would to rotate the text and pictures before printing them on the transfer paper. This feature can be found under the 'Arrange' button, then select, 'Flip horizontally.'
TIPS: Use a paper plate under the prints when using black paint so the color doesn't bleed through to the other side. Have a bucket of water handy to rinse off the paint.
I'm a SAHM of 3 kids: two boys ages 10 and 5 and a girl in the middle, age 8. I'm trying to be better organized (and a better housekeeper) and love to get ideas from others' blogs. My other job is helping my oldest stay healthy as he lives day to day with cystic fibrosis, Type I diabetes and celiac disease.
