Trials, Tribulations, and Other Juicy Stuff

Well, Life is...

2011-10-31T01:07:00.000-06:00

So. The dog went away. (Ahem.)

But the rest of life continues. The kids are involved in fun stuff. At least the older two. We attended two concerts this past week. One for Peter and the middle high school bands and orchestras. That went...as expected. Though it was nice to see Pete play the xylophone (thanks Bent for the instrument). Honestly, he was the only one in tune. And his rhythm was spot on. Very important when your instrument carries over the entire 7th grade band. He even made up a part for one song that didn't have a written part for him. I don't know if the teacher noticed, but he didn't hit any sour notes, so it's all good.

Sarah is in choir at school. She is part of Bel Canto, an all girls group (like Xela, for those Bountiful alum), that does the singing and dancing and singing. She is so brave, and tries out for every solo. Their director is a BYU alum, and even sang in Vocal Point, their all male acappella group. Their concert was...honestly wonderful. The production moved fast, the performances were spot on. And every group did a fabulous job. She wants desperately to be in Taste of Sound, the mixed group. Not that I blame her. Most of her best friends are in that group this year, so she is anxious to join them.

Now that we've officially moved, we now have official new callings. Kendall went from High Priest Group Leader in the other ward to Executive Secretary. He keeps threatening to move back, if only so he wouldn't have to call so many people. Not his favorite activity.

I got called as a Sunday School teacher to the 14-16 year olds. It's a good thing Mom has had so much experience teaching teens. I never have since I've been old enough to have any kind of calling. I've always been in Primary or music. Or both. And Mom, if you read this blog at all, thanks for the tips. I especially liked the idea of having more activities than you have time. Very helpful.

This is also Sarah's class. We haven't decided if we are going to be mortified or pleasantly surprised by the close contact in church. Like I said, Primary or music callings have been my thing for many a year. Apparently it was my inability to be quiet during Sunday School that got me this new calling. (I never have been able to shut up in church for some reason. Mostly I think it's because I feel so bad when there's dead silence when a teacher asks a question.) It appears that the bishopric had the wrong number for us, so couldn't get us in for our "what have your most recent callings been" interview. If they had, they would have known that the past six years or so have all been music callings. Not that I mind, but it's nice to do something else for a while. And when you're willing to say you've done music, they tend to stick you there. Forever.

Today was my first lesson, and it went pretty good, though one girl kept burying her head in her hands and then throwing it back to stare at the ceiling, sighing dramatically everytime. I have to say, everyone had me pretty scared about this class. The bishop even came in to my lesson today, prepared to "sit on them", he said. But he didn't need to. Today. Just watch...next week it'll be total chaos, and he'll be nowhere to be found. We shall see...

Of course now they know we are musical, and I have a second calling as the ward choir accompanist. :)

Kendall and I have joined a local group called the Gila Valley Chorale, a group of great singers from around the valley. We have our Christmas concert on the 28th of November (a minor snafu of scheduling moved it QUITE close to Thanksgiving). It is a great group, challenging songs, tight harmonies, and good energy from the director. We really enjoy it. It's fun to sing in a non-church setting every once in a while. And it's a great way to sneak in an extra date each week. ;)

And Then There Was This Dog...

2011-10-03T11:55:00.000-06:00

So we had dogs growing up. A few, anyway. Mostly little ones that didn't shed, just had to be groomed once in a while. And that liked to pee on the carpet. Mom and Dad said we had a beagle when I was small, but I don't remember, and there are no pictures that I know of with said dog.

Anyway, we'd been in our new house for a week (which I love more than ever), and Saturday we had to do a lot of decluttering of the family room. The main living space was still filled with furniture and boxes that belonged elsewhere. But the weather was pleasant and Andrew and Benji wanted to be outside. No biggie. We live out in the wilderness basically, there are lots of places to wander and explore like I did when I was young.

Twice they came running in the house saying a dog was chasing them. I didn't worry too much because there are dogs everywhere, all belonging to someone, some distant neighbor. Besides, we have the fenced backyard and the boys closed the gates.

Later in the afternoon Meri went out to join them, and again they came in to tell me about the dog. But every time I went out to see, the dog was long gone.

About 5 o'clock or so, after Kendall and Peter had gone to the Priesthood session, the dog appeared on our back porch, laid down by the back door, and slept. He was medium sized, with the look of an Australian cattle dog mix. He looked exhausted, and even though I knew if I did anything nice, we were in trouble of permanently adopting him, but I couldn't stand it. I gave him some water, and then after a little while I ran around the corner to the little gas station on the freeway near our house. I left a note about the dog and picked up some dog food. I know, I know. Total marshmallow. But he was so mellow, and submissive, and hungry.

We spent some time with him outside. He has all the earmarks of a cared for dog, except a collar. He was neutered, his tail had been docked, he's house trained, he doesn't bark, he's not hugely energetic. He is a scrounge, which means I have to be extra careful about cleaning off the table, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Oh, and he likes to go through the garbage. That, and an increasing tendency to want to be around me all day, which looks like a lot of anxiety when we all leave the house. That could be a problem.

The kids love him already, but since I'm doing most of the caring for him, I'm not completely sold on the idea. I've discovered my brain has switched into "newborn" mode, that little part of me constantly being aware that there is another being that needs me all the time. I was enjoying getting out of that mode, frankly.

But if there was ever a dog for our family, this would be it. He's still on probation. We'll have to see. I have a friend coming over this afternoon. We'll see how he does with strangers. That might tip the scales a bit.

He looks like this, with a thinner frame and head, and black in his coat.

We're Moving! (Not Far)

2011-09-05T00:42:00.000-06:00

Yes, we are moving again. We really liked our current home, but the owners owed too much on their home to come down in price. And we could find a comparable home for tens of thousands cheaper. So alas, we are moving again. The house was build in 2008, so only a few years old, and it was custom built for the previous owner who was relocated in February. My understanding was that it was an older couple. The wife clearly had a good idea of what she liked, and I loved what she did with the place. Which is why we are buying it. ;)

We hope to have the papers signed no later than the 23rd, and then we can move before conference and Kendall's recruiting trip to the University of Utah the first week of October.

Here are some pictures of the house. It sits on an acre, about 5 minutes closer to town, but only about half the property is developed. There's still 1/2 an acre to do something with over the next few years. I suggested a pool with a Mediterranean courtyard surrounded by cedar trees and oleander, but we'll see. ;)

Here's the front. It's much bigger than it looks.

Here's the build in fire pit.

A view of the rear of the house. The windows on the left are part of the master "wing".

A view from the back porch to the patio and the mountain beyond.

The built in BBQ on the patio.

The front door is just out of sight to the left. The alcove is flanked by 2 closets. The woman who built this house knew the value of LOTS of closets. I love her.

This will become the "piano" room instead of the "pool" room. The door you see leads to the kitchen, so it could also be used as a dining room. But I want room for a baby grand some day...

A couple of different shots of the great room area.

I'm not sure why, but the space looks much smaller in the pictures. It is a really large room.

The dining area. It looks smaller, too. It could easily fit a table for 8.

Sigh. The Kitchen. Loved it. Soooo many cupboards and drawers and places to put things. And a great breakfast bar that will fit all the kiddos.

You can't tell from this picture, but the stove is gas. I have missed gas. I was thrilled to see this! There is also a water softener (yay!) and reverse osmosis for drinking. This will be the first time in forever that we have that. And the hard water around here is awful, so I'm thrilled!

This wall has the fridge (which they left and is part of the purchase) on the left and the doors on the right are the in-kitchen pantry. Yes, there is another entire pantry off the kitchen, perfect for long term storage. Did I say I loved this woman?

The master bedroom. They left that nice love seat, too. Yay! Financed furniture! ;)

The master bath, with separate vanities. If you look in the mirror, you can see the shower on the right, the "loo" on the left, and the two doors on either side are walk in "his and hers" closest. Huge. Closets. The jacuzzi tub is right where the photographer was. This was a happy bathroom. :)

This picture and the one following are of the same room attached to the master by the two glass french doors.

Of course we're taking our children with us. The house has 3 other bedrooms, so we'll have the same arrangement as currently. They are spacious, if not as humongous as our current house. But considering how little time the kids actually spend in their rooms, preferring to be all together in the main living areas, they saw the benefit of having more space where we spend the most time. It also has a fabulous laundry room near the master and the half bath off the kitchen.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour. Wish us luck...it's going to be a crazy few weeks.

Long Time, No Post

2011-06-28T00:21:00.000-06:00

We are very boring. I mean...really, REALLY boring. Everyone seems to make all kinds of fun posts because they're doing fun things. We are NOT those people. We are stay at home bums, most of the time.

So a brief update: School is over. Duh. I've had the kids home for a month, and I'm so grateful for a house big enough that people aren't tripping over each other.

Andrew is headed for school this year. He's so tall, he's as tall as my friend's 10 year old. (Who is thoroughly disgusted by this fact. But their family is short and mine are tall...genetics. What can I say?)

Benji asks me everyday if he is going to school with Andrew. When I tell him no, he gets to do preschool with mom and won't that be fun, he throws a tantrum (which consists of stomping and snorting like an annoyed bull). I think I'm very glad there is only a year between them in school after all. Though I can hardly believe that Benji is 4. Way too old.

Meri is missing her friends. One of the pitfalls of living in the "suburbs" of a small town is lack of friends. There are a couple of girls her age nearby, but we have run into the "oh, you're Mormons?" issue. So she waits for school to start again so she can play. I am glad that the youngest 3 play so well together.

Pete is excited for scout camp coming up in mid July. They were supposed to go up on Mount Graham to camp, but the fire danger is so tremendous around here (by the way, we're fine...the fires are far away from us) that they're doing some merit badges the first two days at the stake center and then heading over the border to New Mexico (about an hour away) to camp for 3 days. Not the 5 days of filthy camping you'd expect a 12 year old to love, but close enough. But he is headed to middle school next year, including band (thanks for the xylophone and drum kit, Benton!), so hopefully he'll make some good friends there.

Sarah is officially 15, and every inch a 15 year old. She auditioned for the performance choirs this year and made it into the "Xela" type choir, all girls. She was very disappointed not to make it into the mixed girls/boys choir, but she has two more years to audition. I'm sure she'll enjoy every minute of it. She's really missed the Salt Lake Children's Choir, not just for her friends, but for the singing. Mr. Woodward was a weird old music geek, but he knew what he was doing.

Kendall works. And works. And sacrifices 2 hours a day making the drive up to Morenci so we can have a house big enough for all this insanity. And then some days he comes home and goes out visiting for his calling as High Priest Group Leader. He's a good man, my husband.

We occasionally go out on dates and get to talk without interruption. Very. Occasionally.

And I'm Mom. So there you go. It'll probably be another 2 months before I update again, just because nothing really changes around here. :)

Happy Holidays!

2011-04-24T18:46:00.000-06:00

This is our first holiday without family nearby. There's a part of me that is sad, but a part of me is excited to start our own family traditions. So today we had an Italian inspired feast, including six courses. Yes, you heard right, 6 courses!

We didn't go monster elaborate, it being Sunday and all, but we made an exciting discovery (for us anyway). We've quested for years to find "panna", italian table cream that is thickened and makes a fabulous sauce for pasta. Now we've never found anyone that sells it. But yesterday while at Walmart Kendall found something in the Mexican food aisle...a product that seemed suspiciously like panna. We bought a can (a steal at $1.45 instead of the $9.99 if we'd bought actual panna on Amazon) and used it today to throw on tortelloni. A great substitute. I'm thrilled, because it means easy cream sauces, or pink sauces, or other nummy stuff.

So while we miss family, it was fun to start something new for just us. :)

Where to Vacation

2011-04-12T15:55:00.000-06:00

So even though Kendall just started a new job, he'll have almost 3 weeks of vacation this year. We have only a couple of months of summer break (the kids start again in the beginning of August), so we have to squeeze it in somehwere between girl's camp and scout camp. We're contemplating all kinds of things, but since we are in essence at least a day away from anywhere, more like 2 days, it's kind of a challenge.

So...any recommendations would be nice. :)

Anniversaries

2011-04-09T01:51:00.000-06:00

Anniversaries. We celebrate or commemorate all sorts of occasions with days of remembrance. Our birthday is the first one that's truly important to us. As we get older we find other reasons to stop and recall what made a certain day noteworthy.

Not all anniversaries are happy. But today is one for me. (It is still today, even though it's after midnight as I write this.) Today is our 16th wedding anniversary.

Now this can seem like an eternity to some, and a mere sprinkle of the sands of time to others. But as I sat here pondering this occasion, it occurred to me that when I was sixteen, I was a boy crazy teenager, eager for my first date. I had a very shallow notion of what type of person I would like to marry, other than he fit my standard of "good-looking". I had no idea what it really meant to be married, to bear each other's burdens sometimes, other times yoked together, straining in unison against the weight of life.

I've discovered something...unlovely about myself. I seem to have a knack for getting an idea in my head and continuing with it like the rest of the world no longer exists. Time and time again I have seen the Lord's hand in my life, literally picking me up and moving me out of my place, just to set me on the right path. I'm not sure why I deserve such conscientiousness, but I am eternally grateful for the hands that placed my feet on the road that led me where I am today. I would have been lost, and the Lord knew that, and straightened my road so I wouldn't get confused by the twists and turns.

Love you, K.

And So They Grow...

2011-04-05T21:30:00.000-06:00

Andrew lost his 1st tooth today. (I would take a picture but our camera card is having issues.) It was a little scary, with all that pain and all, but he let mom get a good grip on it finally and POP! out it came.

With all my other children I saw this milestone as one for celebration. This is the first time it hit me that my little boy is not so little anymore, and I wished that I might have had a day or two longer.

To top it off, Sarah announced to me this afternoon, "Mom! One more year and all your kids will be in school! What are you going to do with all that time?"

Of course I have a list a mile long for when that day comes, but for right now, that's still a couple of years away. But that will be a sad day. I thought I would never get beyond the baby phase. It was inconceivable. But today it's a little bit closer, all with losing a baby tooth.

Safe Arrival, et al

2011-02-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

As I write this I am typing from our new office/music room, looking out the front window at our new neighborhood. I want to post pics, but I haven't really taken any yet because we're still covered in boxes. But I did manage to wrestle the computer cabinet into place and set up the computer by myself, as well as place a few pictures. There were a couple of nails still hanging on the wall in here that I thought would be the perfect height for our REALLY BIG landscape painting we have, but now that I'm looking at it, combined with the previous owner's magazine that got mailed to us titled "Hunting", I'm thinking there might have been a hunting trophy there. Hmmmmm....I guess a picture that has a few deer in the foreground would be a good replacement.

I've discovered that life, with a few shifts, is pretty much the same. Kendall wakes up at 4:30 now to make the drive to Morenci for an hour every morning. I am up by 5 so I can help him get out the door and get Sarah up at 5:30. Her bus comes at 6:40, about the time I wake up Peter and Meri (if she hasn't woken up already) to get them started. Their bus arrives at 7:25, and then there is quiet for maybe 30 minutes before the little boys get up. The rest of my day is a delicate balance between housework, feeding, scolding, and more housework, whereupon I collapse at the awfully early hour of 10:30 pm. Early for me, anyway. Really, really, early.

We are enjoying the great Arizona winter/spring. We haven't quite shaken off the Utah temperature, and I expect every moment it to plunge back into the 30s. Nice. I like it a lot. :)

The little boys are enjoying the sandbox that is our backyard. It's not landscaped yet, so that is somehow fun to them, and I have started having to wipe this superfine sand off of cabinets where their dirty pants have brushed. This is very familiar, and brings back lots of memories of Kearny and the constant sweeping of sand out of the house.

So far everyone is surviving the move. Sarah is a little slower to assimilate, but that's to be expected. I hope by the end of the school year she'll have made friends with a few people, hopefully the girls in our new ward.

We've already been welcomed by our new Bishop, and our "church service pedigree". I confessed, reluctantly, about my most recent calling of ward choir director, only to find out later in RS that the current one is moving to Pima, two towns away at the end of the month. Sigh. I was so hoping for something else for a while. Makes me wish I'd shipped all the music that belonged to the Angel Crossing Ward with us, lol, so I'd have access to all the music I used/accumulated over the past couple of years. But who knows...maybe they already had someone in mind. I can only hope.

As soon as the house is decent I promise to take pictures and give you a virtual tour.

Finally Finally!!!

2011-01-08T15:13:00.001-07:00

It finally really official. Kendall has accepted the job offer in Arizona. After the initial offer we countered with some concerns, and then had to wait while apparently the entire mine was off for the month of December before anybody got back to us.

But it's done, and Kendall's first day is Feb 7. Now panic sets in as I try to declutter and convince my children that no, they don't need twenty of the same thing.

We'll miss the spring up here, but we should be there in time for poppy season, my favorite!!!

Finally!!!!

2010-12-10T23:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Kendall finally got the job offer! Yay!!!!!!!!!! We don't know all the specifics yet (his liason at Freeport-McMoRan was out of the office today), but we should know more on Monday. The job is as a Metallurgist in the Morenci, AZ mine. Our plan is to live in Safford, about a 50 minute drive away. We're sad to have to move, we've loved our ward and the friendships we've made here, but it feels like it's time to move on.

We'll post more info as it becomes available. Thank you for all your prayers and happy thoughts on our behalf!

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Amazingly Beautiful

2010-11-11T06:51:00.001-07:00

(Just a quick note: we don't know anything yet, but it looks like Kendall has moved to the final stages of the process for the Arizona job, and is currently undergoing a background check. No offers have been received, but we're hopeful that maybe in another week we'll have more info.)

I am a compulsive reader of a few weekly articles. One which I love to read is Orson Scott Card's weekly columns that appear every Thursday. One is on Mormontimes.com, and the other is Rhinotimes.com. Mormon Times is an online magazine that has different articles everyday relating to everything Mormon, both religiously and culturally. The Rhino Times is a paper local to Mr. Card in North Carolina, and he reviews random things every week.

Today he shared a link to just the most amazing thing. He said it brought tears to his eyes, and it did to me, as well. Just glorious, and I had to share. Enjoy! (Sorry this is so big...I didn't want to cut anything off.)

Possibilities and Prayers

2010-10-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

So this past week has finally brought a viable possiblity for a new job for Kendall. After two phone interviews, Kendall will be flying down to AZ next week to do a plant walk-through at a copper mine in Morenci, AZ. It's a small town about 50 minutes away from Safford, another small town in eastern AZ. Safford/Thatcher is the area where Pres. Kimball grew up, and they actually have a temple there. It was originally established by pioneers sent by Brigham Young in 1874.
Anyway, it's a very strong possiblity, and we'd like your prayers in our behalf.

Love you guys!

Conference Weekend

2010-10-03T17:09:00.000-06:00

We spent Conference Weekend at at the East Canyon condo. Brings back so many fun memories. We did this, my parents, sibs and I for many years, bringing the tradtional meal of rice and bacon. We missed everybody, but I hope that everyone enjoyed their own version of conference.

Loved the talks, the Spirit, and the emphasis (at least it seemed to me) on keeping the Spirit with us, so we can really define what we need to have in our lives and what we should discard.

Love to you all!

The Ups and Downs of Job Hunting

2010-09-14T10:49:00.000-06:00

I'm not going to tell you all the sad details, but I had to share this one: Yesterday about 5 I got a call from an engineering firm that Kendall had sent his resume to last week. He seemed to be a great fit. But after talking to them this morning, it looks like he didn't quite have enough experience in one area, and they said "Thanks, but no thanks...maybe later." All in less than 24 hours. Sigh.

LIfe Resumes

2010-09-09T12:02:00.000-06:00

...but it's a different version than before. Last school year and this school year are very similar. My kids go to the same schools, the carpools are only slightly different than last year, the big kids have choir on Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as Young Women's and Scouts on Tuesday. I get testy over undone homework and chores, and dismayed that yet again, two weeks into the school year Sarah is sick. Happens every year.

But there are differences. Kendall is home, still looking for work. Meri is gone all day, and she and Pete walk home, not getting here until after 4:15. (They walk slow, but it's over a mile away.) There won't be a visit with Kendall's mother ever again. We had Norman and Elizabeth up to our house last year for Thanksgiving. And she was well enough to actually enjoy it. She ate, and laughed, and talked for a while. I'll be forever grateful for that experience. I still expect her to call me almost every day like she did the past few months of her life, mostly just to talk. My phone rings a lot less these days.

And I know that this limbo state won't last forever. If a new job for Kendall doesn't pop up soon, it'll be "all hands on deck", finding any way to bring in money. And life will look different yet again.

But I guess that is the purpose of life. Not to maintain the status quo, but to see how we react to the upheaval that change brings. I hope that I can be more Christ-like in my reactions to those changes.

Elizabeth

2010-08-31T19:58:00.000-06:00

It has been a tearful week, but Elizabeth Oliphant is now at peace. Kendall's mother, and the wonderful grandmother to my children, passed away today around 12:30 pm. She was surrounded by a few of her children and her husband. All of her children gathered at her bedside to kiss her cheek and say goodbye. We will miss you.

Above all, Elizabeth believed in the Savior, and in his power. She had seen trial and pain throughout her life, but it always came back to her knowledge that if she felt prompted by the Spirit, she would follow through, regardless of the difficulties.

Her absolute love for her children and for the spouses and children they brought into her family, was one of the best examples I had of Christian charity. I hope I can honor that love by being kinder, speaking more softly, choosing patience over judgment. And over all, I hope that I can honor her by loving those she loved with a more open heart, and a gentle touch.

May your visit with your loved ones gone before be full of music, joy and rejoicing. And may those left behind keep your memory always in our hearts as an example of Christ.

The Rule Of Three

2010-08-26T09:15:00.000-06:00

There are lots of sayings about how change comes into our lives. "When it rains, it pours", or...well, I can't think of anymore right now. But there are a lot. One I always remember, though, is "Bad things come in threes".

This summer has been one of change. And not the good kind. Kendall lost his job. Bad. And while we have a good prospect on another one (I may be adding a retraction in a week), it may be that to find another job in Kendall's field, we will have to move. Very far away. Good and bad, but a lot of unpleasant change.

And two days ago we found out that Kendall's mother is dying. She has been on dialysis for the past 2 years, and basically living on pain medication that entire time. About a week ago her primary care physician told her to stop taking the pain meds, and she spent the past week in excruciating pain, to the point of no sleep except for cat naps for almost 7 days. Her quality of life is next to nothing, though she still has all her mental faculties.

So she came to the decision that she would no longer go to dialysis. The life expectancy after that decision is around 4 to 7 days. We went to visit her last night, and it was clear her mind was made up. She'd had several blessings, and the Spirit was strong as she shared her feelings about the situation. She's tired, her body's worn out, and she feels she can have more influence on the lives of her grandchildren from the other side. And so she will go.

It's been an emotional couple of days, to say the least. I hope that when this is all over, though, we can look back at the summer of 2010 as a positive one. I hope.

Ups and Downs

2010-08-20T09:38:00.001-06:00

Just a quicky to say that last Friday was a downer day, and today not so much...but you never know. That could change in an instant. But right now everybody's happy, Sarah, Pete and Meri are excited for school to start, and I'm excited to have it start, too! Maybe now I'll get some work done. :) Or maybe not, with the two monkeys left at home.

We are going to do a "homeschool preschool" for Andrew this year, not only learning the basics and getting him over that reading hump, but working on fine motor skills and listening/obeying directions, so kindergarten isn't such a shock to him.

And Benj? What can I say about Benj? He's just a monkey, and I'm stunned he's made it to 3 1/2 without breaking something.

Have a great weekend!

Superstitions

2010-08-13T09:44:00.000-06:00

I used to be superstitious when I was little. I don't know why, but it played big into my growing up. And then I grew up, and realized it had more to do with my perception of reality than reality itself.

And then I saw/read The DaVinci Code, and the whole discussion about why Friday the 13th was a day of bad luck. So I really didn't believe in that anymore.

But today is Friday the 13th. And it's Kendall's last day of work, and there's still nothing on the horizon--not even an interview yet.

So even though I'd outgrown it...it niggles in the back of my mind still, a little voice wondering if this is a bad omen.

Summertime, and the Livin' Ain't Easy...

2010-08-07T12:46:00.000-06:00

I look forward to school. Can't tell you how much. I need these kids to not be in the house together for a while. Just the two little boys fighting would be great, instead of everybody fighting with everybody else. Sigh.

The Summer Blahs

2010-07-23T07:49:00.000-06:00

It has just occurred to most of my kids (and myself) that we are on the downhill side of summer. We had so looked forward to the California trip, that any activities after that were nonexistent. So now we start talking about school, and registering Sarah for 9th grade (!), Pete for 6th (!) and Meri for 1st (!). Andrew, because of his December birthday, still has a year of being home/ preschool (maybe...if I can find someplace that doesn't cost an appendage...). But after that, he goes, and the Benji goes the year after, bang bang. I can't believe that in just 2 years all my kids will be in school. Strange thought...I believed the toddler/kids at home fulltime thing would last FOREVER.

Anyway, the time has come to prepare for the next year. The big kids have choir assessments this next week, and then it's August, and in a blink it'll be time for school to start. Sigh. I hope I can figure out a better plan for homework than I have in years past.

We're Home!

2010-07-15T09:53:00.003-06:00

Yay, we're back from CA! We had a wonderful time, and loved spending it with our Collins family, spread far and wide across the country. Kendall survived with out a sunburn, though Peter got a scorcher of one (including a few blisters on his cheeks!) The weather was deceptive, cool, overcast and breezy the whole week, with only a couple of afternoons clear of clouds. It probably made the rest of the family miserable, but Kendall and I loved it. Sorry, guys!

Disneyland was a blast. Benji just skirted the 40" line, so he could ride most of the rollercosters. We even bought a picture of the whole family on Splash Mountain.

We miss you guys...let's do it again soon!

Summer Illness

2010-06-29T09:15:00.003-06:00

Sorry it's been so long...I caught a summer cold (maybe the flu), and was fuzzy and out of it for 3 days. Then Meri got sick the day after I did, and even though I've recovered, she is still desperately ill. We took her to the doctor yesterday after 3 days of 102+ fever off and on. The doc thought she might have developed an ear and sinus infection after getting caught unawares by this viral illness. So we have her doped up on everything possible. I'm really not sure how this is supposed to work, with getting ready for vacation, etc. But hopefully the meds will kick in sometime today, and by Friday when we leave for CA she'll be well enough to go. Otherwise....I don't know.

And So It Begins...

2010-06-21T09:10:00.002-06:00

Last Friday Kendall was laid off, as of Aug. 1. This means, well, you know what it means. I know we're going to be okay, and in the long run this is for the best, but for today, I think I'm going to mope. Or work out my emotions by cleaning the house. At least that would be productive, huh?

The Joy of Music

2010-06-14T01:13:00.002-06:00

Today was a music day. Kendall sang (with 3 other guys) and I played in Sacrament Meeting today, I had choir (the last rehearsal of the summer), and for some reason, my kids seemed to be singing all day.
My favorite is Benji right now. He is rarely in tune, though sometimes he hears it and follows the pitch pretty well. But it's his enthusiasm, the joy he gets from just making the music and singing along that brings a smile to my heart.
I'm trying to be careful not to crush that joy by trying to "teach" him how to sing in tune. For right now, I'm just enjoying the memories of his wide smile stretched in the third time through of "Twinkle, Twinkle" before he goes to bed.

So This is Utah???

2010-06-11T10:08:00.002-06:00

It's June 11, and I think we've had maybe 2 days hit 80 this year. I'm used to complaining about the heat somewhere about the middle of May. Kendall JUST turned on the sprinklers about a week ago. And our lawn is still green.

Don't get me wrong...I love this weather. Seattle, WA, or Portland, OR have the type of weather we (Kendall and I) like. But we don't live in Seattle or Portland, and though for the most part I LOATHE Utah weather and all that sunshine, it's a trifle disconcerting to have gray skies day after day.

So, So FUNNY!

2010-06-08T09:37:00.006-06:00

I had to post this...I found it on another blog and laughed so hard. The truly funny part was Meri coming to me in the middle of watching to say, "Mom, the bowl I was pouring my applesauce into tipped over while I was pouring and landed upside down and there's applesauce ALL OVER!" After the video you'll see how funny this really is.

A Miracle!

2010-06-07T09:41:00.002-06:00

So the other day while I was reading a friend's blog, I found a link to a another blog. Not a miracle in itself, but in this other blog, I found THE ANSWER TO ALL MY PROBLEMS AS A MOTHER OF FIVE CHILDREN WHO RANGE FROM 14 TO 3.

We started a new reward system for the kids. I'm just going to include the link, and you can see for youreself how well it will work. ALL my kids, with the exception of Benji who hasn't stood still long enough to understand it, have gotten on board.

Go check it out! Queen of the Clan

The Countdown Begins

2010-06-04T13:18:00.002-06:00

Starting yesterday, it will be exactly a month before we will be in Southern California with my extended family. My parents foot the bill (Thanks, Mom and Dad!) for a beach house that can house them, each of their six children and their respective families.
We did this about 5 years ago, when we just had 3 children, and Meri was only a little over 1. Now she's six and she has two younger brothers to add to the mix. I don't know how we're all going to fit, but that's part of the fun.

One week on the beach, a Disney day, and exploring.

Can't wait!

Happy Birthday, Sarah!

2010-06-01T15:45:00.003-06:00

Sorry I took so long to share about Sarah's birthday. May is just birthday month around here. I was also wanted to get a picture of her cake up, and hadn't gotten around to it. So here it is...

Our good friend Deanna has, after 15+ years working for a supermarket bakery, gone into business for herself. Three weeks ago. So I asked her to make a cake. Isn't it awesome? Very "Ace of Cakes".

I chose Eclipse for two reasons: 1, it is one of Sarah's favorite book series (behind Harry Potter.) And 2, since Eclipse the movie comes out on the 30th of this month, I thought it would be fun to take her to see the midnight show. When I went to purchase the tickets, however, I discovered that one of our local theaters was doing a triple feature of all the Twilight movies. So of course we're doing them all, ending with the 12:01 showing of Eclipse.

Happy Birthday to my grown up girl!

Road Trip!

2010-05-28T09:42:00.003-06:00

Just a little one. We're headed to Oak City (a thriving metropolis outside of Delta of maybe 400 people, with a resident deer herd) for my neice's baptism and a family get together. I'm looking at this 2 1/2 hour drive as a test to see how well my family will do in a month when we head to CA for a week and a half.

I'm also looking forward to the small town feel for a couple of days. I enjoy the convenience of city/suburb living, most days. But I'll always have a soft spot for Kearny, AZ, population about 900. A main street with no light, and if you didn't know to turn off the highway, you'd miss the town completely. We lived there for 3 years after Kendall graduated from the U, while he worked at the Ray mine as a metallurgical engineer. We learned a lot living there, including what it meant to be part of such a small community. To really get to know people, the lengths people go to get the job done. Good times.

Now this is just funny...

2010-05-25T23:39:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: This tickled my funny bone...it has no relevance or relation to my particular reality...

Guest Blogging...Squeee!!!

2010-05-24T23:08:00.003-06:00

So about a week ago a blog I follow, Mormon Mommy Writers , sent out a call for a new Monday regular blogger. It's a blog of exactly what it sounds like: a bunch of Mormon mommies who write in their spare (!) time.

I decided to take the plunge and send in a post/audition piece. I won't hear back until around the 1st of June, but tomorrow they're putting up my submission piece as a guest blog post. Please take a look and comment, so my poor lonely writer's heart can know it's being heard.

I hope I get to do it...but many people just like me submitted posts, so we'll just have to wait and see....

Stubborn

2010-05-20T22:25:00.004-06:00

Stubborn is good when you're a grown up and it translates to dedication and perserverance.
Stubborn is bad when you're three and you think you are supposed to do whatever you want, including staying up every night until 11 pm.
Yes, it was one of those kinds of days. If it were only the one child.......sigh.

Salt Lake Children's Choir

2010-05-15T11:57:00.003-06:00

The Salt Lake Children's Choir has been around for 30 years. Mr. Ralph Woodward had a vision of bringing the gorgeous sound of traditional boy's choirs from Europe and building a similar choir here.

Kendall was in this choir when he and the choir were young, starting in '82. He spent many years there, honing the craft of singing. My sweet mother-in-law saw seven of her ten children participate in the choir over the years.

Now the legacy continues. Sarah has participated for three years, and this is Peter's first. The amazing thing is the stunning vocal quality Mr. Woodward coaxes out of these kids.

Today is their anniversary concert, with an alumni choir that Kendall is participating in. Here is a video from a couple of Christmases ago...Sarah is not in this one, but a few of my nieces were. Enjoy!

Why I'm a Mother

2010-05-09T12:08:00.002-06:00

So I can have a four year old child say to me, "Mom, I can't wake up because my head is still asleep." And I still love him, even if we were late for church. Happy Mother's Day to all!

Happy Birthday, Again.

2010-05-07T12:25:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday, Teddy Bear! Thank goodness you were born 37 years ago, or I wouldn't have been able to spend the past 15 years with you. Love you!

Happy Birthday, Baby!

2010-04-27T07:51:00.003-06:00

Today is my baby's birthday. We celebrated (had cake and ice cream) last night (because we have about 20 million things going on this afternoon and evening), and today he gets presents.

He's three. I am filled with alternating feelings of excitement and terror: excitement because he's growing up and coming into his own personality, and terror because he's growing up and coming into his own personality. He is a joy, full of love and energy, but I gotta say, he's the worst of all my kids for being a tease. Oh my goodness, does that kid know how to get under his siblings' skin. It's going to be an interesting ride, helping him through this stage.

Love you, Benj!

Big Surprise, We Sang.

2010-04-25T20:19:00.007-06:00

So today in church Kendall (on a leave from his High Council duties), me, Sarah, and Peter sang in church. We sang a lovely arrangement of As Sisters in Zion & I'll Bring the World His Truth. Here's a video someone put together with the song, so you can hear it.

A sister missionary reported on her mission today, Sister Laura Hughes, and you could tell she had just been the best missionary. The Spirit was very strong during the meeting...while we sang I had to keep it together enough to not cry, lol.

I'm sure this won't be the last time we sing, and I'm going to make the ward choir sing this the next time we have to sing about missionary work, but it is a great piece, and I just had to share. :)

And Then There was life....

2010-04-20T23:20:00.003-06:00

I don't know about you, but some days life is so full of challenges and craziness, but you've been there, done that a million times before. Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, and I'm beginning to recognize the patterns in life: the ups and downs of good days and bad.

Example: shortly after my last post, our dryer died a screeching, smoking, horrible death that scared the bajeebers out of me, as it commenced screaming as I began a load. We had about a month of no dryer, because of various and tedious details I won't blog about. Let's just say that we spent that month getting whacked in the head by semi-damp, stiff clothes as they hung in the unfinished basement from water pipes.
A week ago we finally got a fancy new pair of appliances, front loading Bosch's (thanks Mike!). In SILVER, even. Very nice, does everything I ask it to with nary a complaint. Heaven.

My point, however, is that it didn't even occur to me that this might be something to share with the blogosphere, simply because it's part of the natural ebb and flow of life. Some good days, some bad days, and some days that are a twisty cone of both.

No wisdom, here, merely observation.

P.S. If you're interested, I participated in the Utah Children's Writers blog activity, "30 Days, 30 Stories". Today is my day, and I have it posted over there if you're interested in reading the first 900 words of my current young adult novel in the works, "Dragon's Bridge".

Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day

2010-03-13T21:56:00.001-07:00

Probably one of my most favorite movies of all time. Just love it. Period.

Just Because it made me Laugh....

2010-03-03T09:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, That Wasn't So Bad...

2010-02-21T16:54:00.001-07:00

So my current calling is Ward Choir Director. I know. Crazy, huh? I think I about fainted when they called me. And it's been challenging in ways I can't even begin to express.
But...what I wanted to share was one of the joys I get out of the calling. Choosing beautiful music to sing. Now we have a fabulous ward choir. Tons and tons of talent, which makes it easy on the ears.
So I just chose a pair of great pieces to sing for Easter: a great arrangement of "Chirst the Lord is Risen", by David Zabriskie, and Gethsemane, from Sally DeFord's Easter cantata, I Stand All Amazed.
If you're interested, click on the link and listen to this version of Gethsemane. Try any of solo versions. But because it's a solo version, so you won't be able to hear the amazingness of our ward choir, but the emotion behind this is breathtaking.

Family Home Evening and the Mormon Mommy Guilts

2010-02-10T23:12:00.002-07:00

So this evening I did one half of a presentation about Family Home Evening for RS Activity Night. I was asked specifically to talk about using lds.org for FHE, and how to do it with older and younger kids.

Now I have to admit, I have never really caught the spirit of FHE. It always seemed labor intensive for not a lot of pay off. That, and because I could never do it perfect, could never have it stay perfect, I didn't do it, or gave a half-hearted effort. The dreaded Mormon Mommy Guilts hit big time, and when it grew overwhelming, I shut down.

But in this case, it really is a situation where the teacher needed the lesson more than anyone else receiving it. I'm watching my family grow, completely without my permission, and realizing that every second is precious. That doesn't mean I just got translated into Perfect Mom, it just means I'm understanding a little better my place in this world and family.

So today I got a peek at what it is the Lord sees in the program of FHE. And I give myself permission to do this FHE in the most simple way, to just be basic, and make sure that my family feels the Spirit and grows in unity so we actually WANT to be together forever because we like each other.

Yay FHE!!!!

A New Year, A New Outlook, and Eternally 39

2010-01-04T12:20:00.005-07:00

I've never been a big believer in turning over a new leaf on New Year's Day. Probably because I never once followed all the way through a goal set then. But here it is, the new year, and against my will, a desire for change has come upon me.

I find myself no longer tolerant of my previous habits, destructive desires, or lack of follow through. Maybe, at the beginning of the year where I will turn 39, I have finally accepted adulthood, and all that means. That my life is my responsibility, that if I don't do the best for myself, my husband, and my children, who will?

And so, though I've made nothing concrete, no STATEMENT OF INTENT followed by a workable plan, I am moving forward with the plan to just DO BETTER. I know what I need to do to be a better person, I've just avoided doing it for years because I DIDN'T WANT TO. (How juvenile is that????)

As to being eternally 39, it's a joke in my family that if you ask my parents how old they are, they will say 39. And have been that age for 25 years, give or take. The realization that I am at that age, that I will turn 39 in a couple of months, and though according to the government and my children I will continue to age, if anybody ever asks me after March 15th how old I am, I will always be 39. And my life, such as it is, needs to stand for more than my inborn selfishness. So I will indulge myself in this one last selfishness...I will not age beyond 39.

Happy New Year to All, and may all your nothingconcretewithnostatementofintent goals see the light of day!

And Then There Was December...

2009-12-18T10:46:00.005-07:00

So November came and went, with a late Thanksgiving, and early activities, and suddenly it's a month later and I've blogged nothing. Not a thing. And now Christmas is a week away, we're not done, and, well, I'm just sitting around feeling overwhelmed. So my post is this...we're here, we're alive, we're enjoying the holiday, and hope that it's a joyful holiday for all of our friends and loved ones!

(P.S. Here are the two calendar pages I put together as part of a family calendar that will be a gift for my parents this christmas. I'm a total newbie at this, and I'm sure my siblings' will be much better, but it was still fun to put together.)

Specific Instructions

2009-11-17T11:07:00.004-07:00

This week has been one where I discovered that in fact my children cannot read my mind, and when I say something (or don't say something that is obvious to me), I will reap the rewards of my lack of proper communication.

Example 1: Benji has started toilet training. But if I do not say to him the right words, the bathroom is sprayed with urine. Yeah. 'Nuff said.

Example 2: On Wednesdays I am gone in the afternoon from 3:30 to 6:30, when I take Peter into Salt Lake for Salt Lake Children's Choir rehearsals. I usually have something already to put in the oven or cooking in the crockpot on these days. Last week I made up a recipe for a breakfast casserole, with a hashbrown base and and egg, cream and cheese mixture poured on top. I left it on the oven, covered in Saran Wrap, and told specific instructions to Sarah on when to put it in the oven, how long to cook it, etc. It was a busy evening, as we were going to attend the wedding reception of my niece, Kacey, and there would be little time to do anything else but stuff down a few bites before running out the door.

When I came home, everyone told me how yummy dinner was, and that saving any for Peter and me was difficult. I ate quickly, thinking that it was odd that it hadn't browned after an hour in the oven, and that the liquid must have over flowed it a bit, because there was a slight film around the edge of the pan.

Eventually I got around to cleaning it, and realized that the egg film was NOT egg, as I had supposed, but Saran Wrap, melted, and eaten, by my entire family, myself included.

It had never occurred to me that I had to specify removing the plastic wrap to my daughter. But I have learned my lesson. If I want something done a specific way, I have to say things like "Please point it into the toilet," or "Remove plastic wrap before putting it in the oven."

Just thought I'd give you all the benefit of my experience so this doesn't happen to you.

November Heebee Geebees

2009-11-03T09:28:00.002-07:00

November has always been a fun month for me. I enjoy the anticipation of Christmas, and the yummy food of Thanksgiving.

This year, however, I am adding a big 'ol stress to that...NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. The challenge? Write 50,000 words in one month, or the length of a full novel.

Never done that before. Ever. But need to desperately, if just to prove to myself that I can.

I almost didn't even start, just so I wouldn't be disappointed in myself half way through the month. But what is life, if not a series of attempts and failures along our quest for perfection?

It's still giving me the heebee geebees, though. I'm terrified!

Benji, Ph.D in Daaaaaannnnce

2009-10-29T09:22:00.004-06:00

Isn't this a great picture? Sarah is on the yearbook committee and had borrowed the school's camera to take pictures of Red Ribbon Week. She just shot this for fun while we were getting out of the car one day after school. We need a really good camera so we can take more of these.

The reason I posted this pic (other than to show off Sarah's awesome photography skills) is to share the most recent silly Benji moment.

He and Andrew have watched "Monsters vs. Aliens" a hundred times. No exaggeration. He loves to imitate his favorite parts, one of those being the "Dance Dance Revolution" of Dr. Cockroach. (If you haven't seen it, you're missing out.) Benji kind of bounces around, flapping his elbows in his own version of the Funky Chicken.

So this is this morning: He wants to get dressed by himself, including changing his own diaper. He got COMPLETELY undressed, had all his new stuff ready to go, when this part of the movie came on. Naked little boy doing bizarre Funky Chicken dance while giggling insanely.

Need I say more?

LDS General Conference and My Testimony

2009-10-06T13:23:00.005-06:00

So we went to East Canyon this weekend for conference. We invited my parents and my youngest brother and his family to come up and enjoy conference and the tradional joys of rice and bacon. But with my dad sounding like a loaded down dump truck (nasty sore throat), my mom having to REALLY rest from her broken hip, and it raining buckets (probably just normal stuff for say, Seattle, but around here, if water comes out of the sky, people start to build arks), we ended up being by ourselves. It was great to be able to just sit and listen, even though the Sunday morning session I barely heard because that was the one I was yelling through, trying to get the kids to "SIT STILL AND BE QUIET BECAUSE THE PROPHETS ARE TALKING!".

Elder Holland's talk during the Sunday afternoon session was impossible to miss, however. Even from the beginning I could tell that this would not be a 'kiss-kiss-nice-nice' kind of talk, but her was revving up to some serious box-breaking. (Italian missionary language, translated from 'rompere le scatole', which means to scold or really get after someone.)

I was so impressed with his statement about going on record for all of the world and heaven to note, that the Book of Mormon is true, both in origins and in translation by the prophet Joseph Smith. We live in a world where we are so PC, trying so hard not to step on anyone's toes that sometimes we don't even stand up for what we really need to shout from the rooftops. It was an amazing talk, and I for one am willing to follow humbly in his very impressive path and say that I, too, know that the Book of Mormon is the true word of God, written by ancient prophets for our day, to give us a path to lead us to Christ. I also know that Joseph Smith was called of God, that he saw, in the flesh, our God and his Son, Jesus Christ, and that all that followed, through the recieving and translation of the Book of Mormon to his last testament given through the shedding of his blood.

Our Family Photos, Part 1

2009-09-04T10:52:00.007-06:00

So I'm finally getting around to getting these pictures up. These are the ones we took with my family in July. It was soooooo hot, but everyone looks pleasantly pink in the cheeks. This is one of the 5 kids. We purchased a 16x20 to put on our living room wall.

We could NOT get Benji to take his finger out of his nose for this big family photo. So we bought a not so big one of this.

Okay...I'll post more later....children. What can I say? They are who they are. ;P

Light at the end of the Summer Tunnel

2009-08-14T13:06:00.004-06:00

So there is a little over a week before school starts for the oldest three. Sarah is thrilled because the 8th graders get to come to school at 10 am instead of 8 am the first day, and this somehow translates to the whole school year. Peter is semi-excited to go back, with no friends in his class, though, he's less than thrilled. (Of course, he had all of them in his class last year, and it turned into a jabberfest everyday, according to his teacher. Very social, that boy. This year, none of them are in the same class. Makes you go hmmm.....) And Meri is entering kindergarten this year! (Okay, so I'm old.) Of course, the craziest insanity will still be staying and playing here at home, named Andrew and Benji (aka Gorilla and Monkey Boy, respectively).

You know, I distinctly remember being excited about having the summer come, to step off the hamster wheel of school schedules. But after a summer full of run, run, run, go, go, go, it'll be relaxing to get into a familiar grind.

Collins Extraveganza

2009-07-27T15:33:00.005-06:00

So I haven't posted for a couple of weeks because, well, my whole family was in town for most of that time. Four of my six sibs live out of state, and my mom was giddy with joy at having them all at her house for almost a week. Well, everyone but us. We live about 20 minutes away, with my youngest brother, his wife and little boy living in the small apartment above my parents' garage, so they might as well have been in the main house. But the rest of them, four siblings, four in-laws, two two month old babies, and eleven other grandchildren. Our 5 stayed home with us, but we spent most of the past weeks at my mom's house, so it was like we never really left. We did some church family stuff, a baptism for my niece Emma, and the baby blessings for the two baby boys, Henry, and Mason.
We also did some swimming:

and took family photos:

(sorry, Tina, I totally stole your photos since we never seem to take a camera anywhere)
The photographer was amazing, Aime Maughan. Check out her work! You might even see one or two of my kids in her galleries.

And one day, my mom and all of us mothers (except Merci and Haley who were already back in CA) went shopping at the outlet mall in Park City. Now that was fun. A full day of shopping...so much so, we didn't even eat lunch!
We said goodbye to everyone last night, so life gets back to "normal". But boring. Oh well. Next year it will be 10 days in So Cal, and we'll get our Collins fix next summer!

Vacation, Staycation, and Escapism

2009-07-16T15:03:00.002-06:00

So we spent last week up at East Canyon, where we have a membership. It was horrible getting up there, packing clothes and food for 7 people for several days. I was so grumpy by the time we got up there and poor Andrew, who decided on July 4th to be newly independent from diapers or pullups of any sort, had not yet gotten used to using a toilet not his own. I was prepared for accidents, but not that many. I was afraid that first night all the progress we'd made would be swept away by another toilet, until I figured out it was because the toilet was too tall, and the upstairs ones were the right height. It only took 3 hours and 4 accidents before I hit the "DUH" button and reset my brain.

Honestly, though, after the first day it was great, very relaxing, and I could forget, for a few days, that real life with all its time pressures was waiting for me at home.

I've talked to a few people this summer about taking vacations, just getting away from it all, and between those conversations and my own observations, I have realized that even if a vacation means more stress for Mom, they are so important to the sanity of the household. And I have to agree. That family bonding time is important, away from the normal ins and outs of life. It strengthens the family unit through common experiences and memories, even if the memories consist of kids throwing up, kids throwing bottles at the other passengers in the airplane, kids throwing up, "AAAAAAHHHH! Mom, he's pinching me! AAAAAAHHHH", kids throwing up....

That being said, Kendall and I have two different definitions of what a vacation is. For me it is doing whatever will cause the the least amount of stress for all parties, myself being the exception. (And now I know why my mom was always working during vacations. I could never figure it out at the time, but now I know that for mom, if the vacation includes the children, there is no vacation for mom, only the same work in unfamiliar surroundings.)

Kendall's definition is exploring, finding interesting places to visit and learn about, expanding one's horizons. That was great in Italy, where every P-day was filled with those visits to amazing places and vistas all crammed into that little boot, but here in Utah it's all too familiar. And if it's not familiar, it's too expensive for a family of 7.

So this year we opted for the staycation approach, something really close by, and within reason. (This is also because Benji is still a horrible child in the car, demanding after about 45 minutes "Stuck! Stuck! Stuck!" at the top of his lungs, pulling at his carseat buckles all the while. He has occasionally been able to worm his way out of the seat, I don't know how, and wandered freely in the car until we can pen him in again.)

But after we came back and reality with all its pressures had reasserted itself, I find myself searching for ways to escape. Not that I'm running away, mind you, but I just am tired and don't want to do it anymore. So I am reading. A lot. Or staying up until 2 in the morning. Too much Facebook. Any and all of it, just to escape it all for a few minutes.

Sometimes it's harder to come back from vacation than to be on one. Sigh.

Amazing Acappella Music

2009-06-30T14:03:00.004-06:00

Kendall and I have sung in a couple of acappella groups over the years, and it has been loads of fun. The joy of making several voices come together to create harmony and beauty is just joyful. A friend of mine sent this link to a Slovenian choir on YouTube, and I just had to share:

The other thing I had to mention was the new Fox show, Glee. They've only shown the first episode as a teaser after the American Idol finale, but it was so much fun, I don't care that their marketing worked. I am already hooked and anxiously waiting for the season to really begin. Here is my favorite song from this episode, though I loved all the music in it.

Anyway, every time I take a break from music, and then come back to it, I'm always stunned at how much I love it and miss it. (I guess that's about right...it's basically July, six months from the Christmas season when I'm singing my brains out.)
Have fun, and I hope I've addicted all of you to Glee (if not, go to Fox and watch the whole first episode) so you can talk about it with me when the season starts in September!

Cold Stone Concoctions

2009-06-27T11:28:00.007-06:00

I've always been a fan of Cold Stone Creamery. I love the idea of being able to put together flavors that no one else has ever thought of and have it be really nummy. We don't go often, but when we do, Kendall always complains that I make much better concoctions and then eats half of it.

So after going to see Hello, Dolly! at Hale Center Theatre last night, we stopped at Cold Stone. After tasting my experiment, he said, "You need to blog about flavor combinations, and say things like 'It finished with the deep flavor of oak.'"

He was kidding about oak, but not about the blog. So here is last night's nirvana (and I wish I had taken a picture): Oatmeal cookie batter ice cream, raspberries, and Twix. Fresh raspberries add tartness, the caramel is smooth and chewy as it cools, and the cookie base and milk chocolate bring a satisfying crunch and creamy finish. The oatmeal cookie ice cream also gives it a nice roundness of flavor, rich and buttery, with some cinammon to add a final dimension.

I would also recommend Oatmeal cookie batter ice cream, raspberries, Nilla wafers, and white chocolate chips. It would taste like the fabulously indulgent white chocolate raspberry brownies that my mom makes from Aunt Deb's recipe. (Thanks, Aunt Deb!)

So there's your Coldstone recommendation for the week. If I made your mind work and your mouth water, go indulge your craving with this recipe. It's on the house.

Speed Bumps of Life

2009-06-22T23:32:00.005-06:00

What are speed bumps for? Why do they even exist? Physical ones are there to tell you to slow down, drive slowly, cautiously, with careful considerations of your surroundings.

The speed bumps of life do the same thing in our consciousness. These experiences come into our paths to say "Wait! There are things here to stop and ponder! Think through the path you've chosen before you continue!"

Some are small, like a child trying to get you to listen while you're busy 'working the plan'.

"Mom, Mom, Mom! You gotta come see..."
"Just a sec. Mama's got to finish this one thing--"
"But Benji just flushed the shampoo down the toilet!"

Or it could be major, like Kendall's dad collapsing and being rushed to the hospital. The doctors have ruled out a heart attack or stroke (his dad is almost 78), and think he might have a really bad inner ear infection, or something that can be taken care of. We're hopeful that it will be something "minor".

But today as this unfolded, and a few years ago when Kendall's mother was extremely ill, it caused us to stop and think about where we are, and this "plan" we're working so hard to follow. Where are our priorities? Where is our focus? Are we really choosing "the better part"? Or are we settling for good, when better or best is who we should be?

Edelweiss

2009-06-14T22:41:00.003-06:00

Edelweiss - Sound of Music - Christopher Plummer's own voice from Mark on Vimeo.

Today we changed Benji's crib into a "transitional bed", i.e., a toddler bed with railings at either end. He's been successfully climbing/falling out of his crib for the past week, and hurt himself a few times.

I don't know why I thought it would be just like any other night, where I could put him in and walk away. He likes his freedom too much. So for almost an hour, we played "Get out of bed and find Mom so she can put me back in bed", including a bonus round of "crying so hard I throw up". I finally figured out (duh) that he wasn't going to stay, so I had to lay him down and sit in the opening created by the two end railings. He still didn't want to stay, so I offered to sing for him.

Now I have to add here that one of the only things that this busy, busy, BUSY boy will sit still for is when Kendall sings "Edelweiss" to him. He loves the sound of his daddy's singing, and will be so still I don't even recognize the tornado that is normally my son. So I usually leave Kendall to sing this lullaby to him, because, well, I love to hear him sing it, too.

But it was my turn tonight (since it was my decision to change up the crib situation) to figure out how to keep him in bed, so I sang to him. I used all my usual lullabies, but he wasn't quite there.

"Benji," I said, "Do you want me to sing Edelweiss?"

He smiled his biggest smile at me and said, "Yeah."

So I sang it to him about 20 times, the last time a gentle humming as I listened to my baby snore. Peace.

So I post the picture of my now FAVORITE flower and a video clip from one of my favorite movies, in honor of Benji, sleep, and peace.

Milestones

2009-06-05T10:58:00.005-06:00

This is the summer of learning something new...for me and the three youngest. Meri is on the brink of making a breakthrough in reading...so close. So this summer she will learn to read before she goes to kindergarten. This is awesome, and I look forward to working with her.

For the two youngest, not so fun. I think it's time to teach the two little boys the joys of toilet training. Andrew has been very reluctant, refusing any suggestions to start. But (and here's where the psychology comes in) he always wants to do things BEFORE Benji. But Benji is showing signs of readiness, and I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to get the rest of my kids out of diapers.

So wish me good luck (and good aim).

Make Most of Time

2009-05-29T09:59:00.006-06:00

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.

"To The Virgins, To Make The Most of Time", Robert Herrick, 1591-1674

Kendall and I love to travel, but with five kids, (three of them under 5) we don't do it as much as we would like. We went through a period about a week ago thinking about squeezing in a "ROAD TRIP!!!" (insert "Legally Blonde" squeal here) to San Francisco or there abouts (No, Benton, we were not going to crash at your place, so no worries) and find some place like this:

Instead, after reality and sanity returned, we decided that what we really should be doing this summer is this:(And no, this is not our basement. This one doesn't have toys and loner socks float around on the ground.)

Yeah, I know, boring. It's not all work, though. We already had a week up at East Canyon set up, we just wanted a little bit more. We only have 5 or 6 more years with Sarah in the house. How weird is that? I swear she was just 5 years old herself, and we just celebrated her 13TH BIRTHDAY!!!! Ack!

We do want to make the most of the time we have left, make those memories (remember Mazatlan, siblings? Or maybe Europe? Or Yellowstone?). How do you create balance between the responsibilities of today and family bonding time beyond normal life? We still haven't found it, and time's a-flying.

Summer's So Close, I Can Taste It!

2009-05-21T11:42:00.004-06:00

I posted these two pictures because this is where I want to spend my summer: somewhere between a cool green forest and the beach. No worries, just letting the kids explore and having a very relaxing time.

You don't realize how taxing the normal schedule is until it starts to lighten up. The end of the school year is close, and the release of pressure is making me giddy. I just want to run away somewhere and let all the rest of the stress seep into the earth and sky. Anyone care to join me?

And Then There Are Those Days....

2009-05-06T22:37:00.002-06:00

....where you swear, if they weren't so darn cute, you'd just....

I Sang! Andrew Was Grumpy!

2009-04-26T13:42:00.003-06:00

A few posts ago I talked about whether or not to sing in the stake choir for conference, my reason for waffling being I wasn't sure if my kids (well, half of 'em) are old enough to be contained by one parent and an older sibling. Well, I decided to sing, and it was actually nice! For me, anyway. I felt the Spirit, listened to all the talks, took notes, all from the stage.
I felt bad for the family, though, especially Andrew, who struggled (and lost the battle) to sit still. I think I saw Kendall sit maybe for 20 minutes of the entire 2 hour meeting, poor guy.

So all in all I'd say it was a possitive experience, and (don't tell the fam) I'd probably do it again. At least in a couple of years when the little ones won't be so little anymore. And Andrew isn't so grumpy.

The New Blog, and Why.

2009-04-24T12:19:00.001-06:00

(This is an almost word for word copy of the post on my new blog at meganoliphant.blogspot.com)

So for any of you who have been following along with this blog, I decided that it was time to branch out and have two different blogs, one that shares the family stuff (for all the family that lives so far away), and one about my other passion in life, writing. I started this blog to blog about writing, but family got in the way (doesn't it always?) so I had to start a completely different one.

On the other one I'm going to talk about all the aspects of writing that affect me and my quest to be a published author. Like actually making time to write. Some days I have the writing flu, to the detriment of all else, and other days I forget that I actually can write more than my signature on a check to pay for piano lessons.

I also need to be accountable somewhere else besides my own mind on writing in a more scheduled fashion. I found this cute progress meter from Writertopia, and decided that this was as good a way as any to see some progress. So you can follow along with my struggles in getting this novel done, finally!

The Better Part of Valor

2009-04-19T21:04:00.002-06:00

To sing or not to sing...that is the question. I was asked to participate in the women's choir that is singing for stake conference, and because I sang in the choir for our stake Women's Conference, I was on the list.
Because I was called and asked, I couldn't say no. But now we have a dilemma: 5 kids, one parent. Last year it would have been a no brainer, with Benji still nursing. This year, though he's past that stage, he's moved into the refuse-to-sit-still-on-pain-of-death stage. And you add Meri and Andrew to the mix, and it becomes a full blown juggling act for 2 hours.
And have you ever noticed that the kids who can't tell time can last 1 hour and 10 minutes exactly before they start going nuts in Sacrament Meeting? The 2 hours of Stake conference is a study in early childhood insanity!
So do I let my poor husband do this on his own (with Sarah's help, of course) or do I quit to keep our added chaos to a minimum? What whould you do?

Two year old boys

2009-04-16T10:27:00.004-06:00

So I just cleaned up the cat's water that Benji spilled all over the floor so he could splash in the puddles. That, and my brother (totally tongue in cheek)commenting at Easter dinner that Benji will be a bad influence on little Alan (as Alan followed Benji around the ottoman, both of them throwing puzzle pieces onto the floor as fast as they could go), made me realize that I have one of those kids that everyone looks at and secretly thinks "Thank goodness that's not my kid!" I guess it's my due, since I was the one thinking that about everybody else. Karma, eh?

Youth Pageant, Writing, and FREAKING OUT!

2009-04-16T09:51:00.004-06:00

So Kendall and I got roped into participating (actually directing, producing, and writing) in our ward's youth roadshow. It was kind of interesting, how Kendall was asked to head up our group. The bishop called us in and said, "The stake is putting on a youth pageant, and three wards are combining to do one show. Will you be our ward representative?" And that was it. He didn't know anything else, and neither did Kendall for a week until he met with the rest of the wards and the stake leaders in charge. And after a few meetings with the other two ward representatives, it became obvious to Kendall that he would have to be in charge. Not his favorite thing to do, by far.
So how did I get involved? They needed someone to put all the ideas together and get them a coherent script, and I was available. Actually, it was rather fun, collaberating with Kendall in writing the thing. But then one of the ward's representative is involved with other plays around the valley, and can't participate, and they really needed to have one more adult to help get things organized. So here I am.
Anyway, last night was our first rehearsal. And even though I was trying not to throw up from tension before it started, it went pretty well. Now I have to be honest. Teenagers scare me. Not because I was a teen so long ago, but because I was a teen at all. I know what I was like, and I was a good girl. I'm not sure how to interact with teens anymore (which is why my next calling will be Laurel advisor or something equally scary).
The other stressful thing is having to bring all the kids to rehearsal because our built-in babysitter is in the show. So I had all three of the little ones wander through at various times during the 3 hours we were at the church, needing attention when I was trying to help get things going.
I guess I just had to vent, because just writing about it now is making my heart race and my brain leak out my ears as it melts from the residual stress. I'm sure everything will turn out fine in the end, but for right now I'm FREAKED!

Fate and the Italian Language

2009-04-12T23:22:00.004-06:00

I read the other day in the blogosphere (don't remember who or where, or I'd link it) that Jodie Foster would get the most amazing desire to work out, hard, right before she was offered a big movie. She didn't know what movie, no advanced notice from an excited agent. It was her own intuition, her life path giving her a heads up about something coming.

I'm sure everyone has these kinds of moments, something that starts to rattle around in your brain, telling you to get prepared, because a big life change was coming to adjust your perceptions. I remember specifically having the bizarre desire to learn Italian in college. I struggled with the language, mainly because I couldn't figure out why on earth I was taking it. I even audited the class a second time, trying to pick up on what I'd missed the first time around. Then after several weird and painful years, I found myself in the MTC, desperately cramming Italian and the discussions into my head, wishing I'd taken that prompting a little more seriously. I would have been a much better missionary had I just followed through and been prepared.

I've also gotten those pushes from fate and made the conscious choice to say "No, thank you. I'm not interested in whatever this means for my life." And the promptings have gone away, and I've moved on through my existence, with no knowledge of what great experience I had missed because I said no.

I think (pray) that this time, I will listen and do what the whispers say. I don't know what is coming, but I know it's big, and I know that this time I want to be prepared for it. So I'm going to take the classes and learn the theory before it's time for my lab work to begin. Wish me luck.

Cleanliness, Godliness, and the Unholy Mess

2009-04-07T23:33:00.002-06:00

So I don't know how many of you have troubles keeping a house clean. I've never, ever, been keen on keeping house. I never understood my mother's desire, need...no...Obsession...to keep a clean house. Until I realized that I really do like things tidy. When I'm not stuck by my guilt over having a messy kitchen, I can get all sorts of things done. Theoretically.

I guess the old adage "Cleanliness is next to godliness" has some foundation in truth. My brain is as scattered as my house is. Or is it my house is as scattered as my brain is? But when it's not scattered and cluttered with the surface things, with the other stuff that really doesn't matter, I am able to be centered and find that well of feelings and emotions that scream out to be explored. So I guess what I'm saying is that I let my life get cluttered with extranious stuff so I don't have to deal with the unholy mess that is my well of feelings and emotions. How's that for catartic revelation?

Rice, Bacon, and Conference.

2009-04-04T20:59:00.005-06:00

It is that time of year again...General Conference. And for the first time in years (not since we lived in AZ), we are on our own for conference.

Now you have to understand. It's a family culture kind of thing. My grandfather and grandmother on my dad's side both come from West Virginia. They lived here in Utah for all their married lives, but brought some of their culture and food traditions with them. And one of them is Bacon and Rice. You cook up rice and serve it with bacon, and there you go. Thinking back on it now, it seems like a poor man's food, the kind of stuff you have when it's the only stuff you have. My understanding was that my grandfather used to eat the rice and bacon with the bacon grease poured over the top. All I can say is Eewww.

But then I guess our tradition isn't that far removed. For as long as I can remember (and I remember being 2) we had this for breakfast on Sunday morning. We take the cooked rice, crumble bacon on top, sprinkle sugar on top of that, and pour milk on it to create a warm, salty/sweet meal. I think the toasted English muffins with raspberry jam and grape juice came a little later, but it rounded out the meal.

To any newbies to this post, you may be saying Blech. And I would understand. There were years where I would eat the bacon on the side, but not add it to the rice and milk. And to this day the bacon has to be the right level of crispy or I won't add it, because there's nothing worse than soggy bacon. It 's like eating straight fat.

We used this meal as a litmus test for all potential in-laws. If they could eat it without gagging, they were acceptable. It was always funny to see the first bite reaction. I don't know what my other siblings did, but I gave my future hubby lots of info before his formal introduction. And he actually likes it now (better than I do, I think.)

So for years, every conference, we, and as many siblings as were around, would come to my parent's house for the traditional breakfast and Conference. Three of my four brothers moved out of state this past year, and my parents are in California with my VERY pregnant sister, so we get to do it on our own. The food won't change. Not a bit. And since I'm cooking the bacon, it'll be perfect.

I feel a little forlorn, though, realizing that yes, at nearly 40 and with 5 kids, I guess I'm finally a grown up and can do this on my own. But on the other hand, it's kind of exciting being handed the baton, carrying on the torch of tradition. So onward Oliphant family, along the well-tasted path of tradition. Yum!

On Being a Writer

2009-03-24T11:42:00.003-06:00

I have to say that writing, for me, ebbs and flows with the needs of family. I wish I had the time to really devote to it, but then, would I really? Or would I spend my time avoiding the work by surfing the internet or finding other ways to distract myself?

I just know that when I do it, when I exhaust my brain and body to create something, my soul soars. Just had to share.

Mini Vacations

2009-03-20T23:22:00.002-06:00

So here is a general question to the blogosphere. I want to do something with the fam for spring break, but what do you do with a kid range from 13 to 2? And with a 2 year old that hates, HATES the car. He does okay for about 30 minutes, and then it's all over, including crying so hard he makes himself throw up.

So we're thinking day trips, you know, something like a visit to the acquarium, Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum, etc. What do you do with your kids when you want to get away close to home?

6th Tag

2009-03-06T10:44:00.004-07:00

Well, I actually got tagged for a photo. When people say in "x" folder, and the "x" picture, they assume you are actually up to date and have that many picture folders saved on your computer. We only last year got a video camera/camera, and I'm still learning the ins and outs of the digital age.

That said, I did have 13 folders total, but most of them are weird things that have nothing to do with family. And the sixth folder only had 3 pictures in it (of boiling liquids for Sarah's science project.) So I went to the next one, which happens to be the family pictures we just took. So here it is, all five kids from about 2 months ago. Notice Andrew's grumpy face (blue shirt). His favorite mad look, up through his eyebrows.

So left to right, names and ages: Benjamin, 22 months; Sarah, 12 3/4; Andrew, 3; Meredith, 4; and Peter, 10.

I am Tagging Merci, to get her to blog something before the baby comes, Tina, because the pictures of Alan are adorable, Shelley, to help her keep her promise to her boys to keep blogging, Haley, to blog something before the baby comes, and Michelle, just to see what she's taking pictures of.

Balance

2009-02-16T23:06:00.002-07:00

So I have discovered something about myself. I have no sense of balance. And I don't just mean literally (though the same vertigo problem that got me sent home from my mission in Italy still plagues me from time to time). Learning to find 'moderation in all things' truly is the journey here on earth.

So as I was saying, I have discovered that I lack that crucial element in my personality that would keep me from overbalancing in one direction or the other.

Sweets are a perfect example of this. If I eat them, I can't stop, because they just taste too good. They do not feel good, however, an hour later when I have a stomach ache and sugar rush headache.

Or take reading. I can't do this as much as I used to (which was ALL THE TIME), because nobody does my mommy job but me. Very annoying. ;-) But I would get so wrapped up in it, that I couldn't stop, not even if I was late for something.

Let's take household chores, too. Now I am not a perfect housekeeper by any stretch of the imagination, but when I get into a job, I can't quit until it's done, and done perfectly. Which is probably why I put it off so much, 'cause there is no "perfect" in this house. Far from it.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get my point. In all this areas and more, the trial and effort is always in finding the razor's edge between done and not done, too much and not enough. I share this for one reason and one reason only. IT IS DANG HARD!!!

Not so Boring!

2009-01-28T23:23:00.002-07:00

So I found this list on my cousin Merrill's blog, and I thought it would be fun to add. You can copy and paste it yourself. Maybe I'm not as boring as I thought!

Here is a list of 99 things that you can copy and paste. Then you bold the things that you've done.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Ran a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Life, burnout, and happiness

2009-01-24T11:38:00.002-07:00

Well, no one is sick. That is happiness.

My glasses got broken. I am sick (burned out) of small children not respecting things that don't belong to them. (But when three out of your five kids are still in the toddler stage of "If I see it or want it, it's mine", what can a mom expect?)

Peter moved back to Layton Elementary, out of the Spectrum program. He was burned out (and so was I) of the homework and stress that came when he didn't do it and I had to ride him to get stuff done. He had been happier the past three days since the move than I have seen him all year. That is happiness.

Laundry Burnout. 'Nuff said.

We've changed our lifestyle to be healthier. Kendall and I have each lost 20 pounds. That is happiness!!!

Andrew had stopped having major meltdowns three times a day. That is happiness.
He had one the first day of primary and I had to drag him out screaming. Burnout.

Benji is a monkey with no sense of fear. I am burned out of finding laundry baskets, garbage cans, and the ottoman used as a stool so he can climb onto counters or get into the pantry shelves.

I don't think I'm cut out to be a parent of teenagers, tweens, or four year olds talking like their teenage sister. Burnout.

I actually got an entire plot line written down for my novel series. A road map, finally! That is happiness.

So, if you weigh the burnout vs. happiness, I guess life isn't so bad. Besides, I actually got a full night's sleep last night. There's nothing happier than that!

Five Words

2009-01-05T22:28:00.000-07:00

Stomach flu. Whole Family. Yuck.

The More Things Change...

2008-12-30T00:48:00.003-07:00

...the more they stay the same. Or so the saying goes. Just when I think that things are finally changing, something reminds me of how similar each day is. Take getting a good night's sleep. Every night I look forward to a few hours of sleep. Uninterrupted. And yet it hasn't happened in 12 years. Take tonight, for instance. This is pretty typical. It is 12:53 am on Tuesday, Dec. 30th, and I am up with not one, but two little boys. And typing one handed. Andrew is up because he's had a fever all day, and it's been so long since he's had one, I'd forgotten how sensitive his tummy is. He's always been the most vomitrocious of my kids, and at the least hint of anything, out his lunch would come. So he threw up, in his bed, about an hour ago, and now he's sitting in the chair watching Horton Hears a Who, while we wait to see if the ibuprofen is going to stay down.

And Benji, too, is up. He got up two hours ago with a stinky diaper, and now won't go back down, even though he is leaning on my shoulder, exhausted.

The juggling act never ends. When I say 'the more things stay the same', I remember doing this very thing, up in the middle of the night, with Sarah ten years ago. Watching Winnie the Pooh, beginning to end. No way was she going to bed until the final credits ran, even if it was 5:30 in the morning. And one of us had to be up with her, curled up on the floor because she'd kicked us off the couch so she could be more comfortable.

I'm sure this too shall pass. At least that's what my mom tells me. I guess I'll have to believe her, 'cause there ain't no light at the end of this tunnel, honey.

Pictures....Finally.

2008-12-16T14:19:00.019-07:00

Kendall, Andrew, and Benji fixing the dishwasher.
I finally figured out how to get photos on the blog. Yea!!! Here are a few from the past few months. Figuring out how to format the dang thing, however, will be another several weeks work, I'm sure.

Benji and pumpkins.

Andrew on the hay ride.

Meri at the pumpkin patch.

Sarah and Peter actually smiling at each other on our hay ride through the pumpkin patch.

Meri and Benji in on Halloween, jumping on the tramp, waiting to go trick or treating.

Andrew's happy 3rd birthday on Dec. 1st.

Benji trying to see the lights at Temple Square.

Benji demolishing the gingerbread house we made last Saturday.

A family photo from the summer vacation at East Canyon.

...And Then There Was The Time When Suddenly No One Could Cook.

2008-12-03T22:29:00.004-07:00

I don't like to brag, but I consider Kendall and myself pretty good cooks. I have to admit that there have been times that meals have failed, but at least in my case, it's usually when I use a recipe, instead of blending things intuitively. Case in point--I once set a thanksgiving pumpkin pie with a candied pecan topping on fire because I left it too long under the broiler.

So last Sunday Kendall and I used a yummy sounding recipe titled "Sesame Chicken and Vegetable Stir-Fry". It used something I'd heard of before but never used: Chinese Five Spice, which sounded and smelled intriguing.
It was simple to put together, just frying up chicken and veggies and thickening up a sauce including the Five Spice.

I don't know where we went wrong, but it was the worst meal I've forced down in a long, long, time. Kendall felt the same, I know, because we discussed at length how we will never use that recipe or Chinese Five Spice again. Ever.

So to redeem the evening, we decided to make some cook and serve chocolate pudding. To amp up the nutrition value, however, we decided to add some whey protein powder we have that we usually use to make breakfast smoothies. And we thought, "Hey, the pudding starts out as powder, the whey protein is powder, lets mix them together before we start cooking, so there won't be any lumps."

Please take my advice. DO. NOT. COOK. PROTEIN. POWDER. WITH. YOUR. PUDDING. It did something weird. So weird, in fact, that even the kids wouldn't eat it.

So the bad karma of Pride came back and bit us big time. I think I've lost my taste for chocolate pudding for a while. :-P

I was a little worried, the next day, wondering if this was to be our new life...suddenly sucking at cooking. But it was great. It's hard to screw up alfredo sauce and tortellini and chocolate cake with whip cream frosting covered with M&M's. (It was Andrew's birthday meal. I did find the Tonka Bounce Back Racer, though, just in time. Yea!)

Shopping and The Perfect Gift

2008-11-20T10:43:00.004-07:00

I love shopping. I love going through a store (any store) and imagining what I could do with things like, say, a cheese dome.

But what I have a hard time doing, these days, is actually buying anything. I'm so afraid of not buying the right thing, in terms of gifts, I mean, that I'll go shopping with intent to purchase, and wander the isles, searching in desperation for the perfect gift, only to leave disappointed two hours later, having talked myself out of every item I looked at.

It's even worse when I'm actually budgeting. (Just ask Kendall how much I don't like budgets.) Then I'm twice as worried about spending the money, only to find the true and everlastingly perfect gift later. Grrr.

So here it is, mid Novemeber, and the rest of the year on my calendar is black with the list of activities, and I have only purchased a handful of gifts.

And the worst thing is that we have a birthday coming up on Dec. 1st for Andrew. Talk about getting lost in the middle of the holidays. I have to keep reminding myself that it's coming up and I have to get on the ball. Of course, in his case I already know what the perfect gift is, and it seems to be the 'Tickle Me Elmo' of the 2008 Christmas season. The Tonka Bounce Back Racer. I watched him play with something similar at someone else's house for two hours, and knew that it would be perfect for him. It seems to be the perfect present for every other 3 year old boy in the world, as well. I have looked and looked, and the only place I can find it is Amazon or Ebay for twice, sometimes three times as much as I wanted to spend. At this rate I'll be lucky to find it in time for Christmas.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. But it still comes down to just one thing. I still love shopping, frustrations and all. ;-)

Halloween Come and Gone

2008-11-03T00:08:00.003-07:00

I always have mixed emotions when Halloween comes around. I am thrilled that the holiday season has finally arrived, but I have so many preconceived notions about what each holiday is supposed to be like. And nothing ever goes as planned. I've learned to live with it, but I can't help but feel let down. And it's my own darn fault! :-)

I have to say, though, I don't like the direction that Halloween has taken. It's so difficult these days to find a decent costume, without making it, or having to modify it some way. Meri was Raggedy Anne, a costume we got a few years ago for Sarah, so she was covered head to toe, including a red yarn wig. (By the way, it was nice, for the first time in years, not to have to buy a costume this year. The most expensive purchase I had to make this year was $1.99. Yea!) I was looking at the adorable pictures of one of my neices that was dressed as Ariel. She had to wear a complete set of clothing under her costume just to keep covered, though. And I had a talk with my neighbor as we passed trick or treating. It was even harder for them to find something that wasn't designed to make an 8 year old look like a tart. Isn't it bad enough that everyday clothing is made to make little girls dress like a hoochie mama? Do we have to do it for Halloween, too?

So on the theme of no purchases for Halloween costumes, Sarah, at twelve, was off at her best friend's Halloween/birthday party, and was 'too old' to trick or treat, even though they did as a party. Andrew wore the costume size cowboy hat and a vest that Peter wore in second grade, and Benji wore a clown costume I bought last year for Andrew.

The best costume was Peter's, though. For a buck ninety-nine bottle of green tempera paint, we turned him into the Incredible Hulk. I painted him all over: belly, back, legs, even his hair. We also got to shred some clothes that were already destined for the garbage. Kendall did do some filming of the painting process, maybe I'll figure out how to post it at some point.

So we finally get everyone out the door, and mentally I'm thinking, 'Do we take a stroller, not take one? Hmmm....' But ultimately decide not to take it. Big mistake. We are only half way around the block and Andrew is done. I mean laying face down on the sidewalk, refusing to move, done. So in the end, Kendall carried him, I carried Benji, and Meri kept asking to go to one more house. I don't know why I keep expecting Norman Rockwell when I SO don't live there.

Now the serious partying begins....Christmas Shopping!!! (Got a real love/hate relationship with that, but that's another post.)

New Experiences

2008-10-21T08:39:00.004-06:00

I can't believe I'm actually posting twice in one month. That is definitely a new experience.

Other new experiences for the Oliphant family this week: Andrew had his cast removed. The saw was definitely too scary, all that noise right next to him. He had to have a second cast put on, just a short one, for two weeks. The x-rays showed one bone still wasn't healed enough. At least he wasn't screaming at the sight of his x-rays again.

Sarah has her first real cold of the year, and is staying home from school today. That meant I didn't have to wake everyone up and get Peter to school since Kendall took him to school instead of taking Sarah earlier. Oh, for the days of no morning driving!

Sarah is also participating in a special youth choir for the church. They've been rehearsing for the past month or so. This Saturday they are doing the audio recording at the conference center, and on the first week of November they are doing the video recordings. My understanding is that the recording will then be sent to stakes or wards all over North America for a New Year's celebration they are doing. She is growing up WAY too fast for my comfort.

Both Kendall and I have new callings. Kendall was called to be the new Cub Scout Pack leader a few months ago, which he finds he is actually enjoying. (Except for meetings, which he's never liked.)

I was called as the ward choir director just last week. I replaced a wonderful lady who was the director for 6 years and a former member of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Talk about intimidating. I haven't decided whether it will be fun or scary, but it will give me more reasons to visit Day Murray and get music. ;-) So I'm in charge of Christmas music...I hope no one is too disappointed in me or my choices. Talk about a growth experience!

Benji is old enough for nursery!!! That is just a joyful thing. Yea!!!!!!!! A great new experience for him (and Kendall and I, not having to deal with him during meetings anymore.)

I'll definitely have to do a Christmas playlist, though, since I'm having to be all musical now. :)

Tis the Season....

2008-10-10T11:11:00.006-06:00

Last year as a Christmas gift for Kendall, I got together a group of people from our neighborhood (read: ward) and created a group of carolers. We didn't get started until November, but we were able to learn a few songs from our 'emerge' days to supplement hymns from the hymn book.

Well, we're starting again. It's so nice to be able to enjoy the sounds of the christmas season, with people who enjoy it as well. And hopefully, by starting earlier, we'll be able to learn a few more.

It's always so fun to go to Day Murray Music, to drool over all the music selections. I went on Wednesday while we were in Salt Lake to take Sarah and her cousin, Grace, to a Salt Lake Children's Choir rehersal. It would have been perfect, except for one thing...Benjamin. Our youngest definitely has no tolerance for car travel or being penned in a stroller. But Day Murray is DEFINITELY not a place to let a toddler run around. They do have a 'toy room', which looks like a converted closet (and feels like a church nursery), which entertained him about 18 seconds, until he realized I wasn't standing right behind him. I'd moved two feet away to look at music. So I had to rush through looking at music, and only had time to find one that we can use this season.

Talking about music, Kendall and I finally took time to figure out playlist.com. Kendall kept wanting to know what the catch was, how could we just add that music to our playlist, without having to pay for it. (Such a cynic!) So we went a little crazy, adding all kinds of music. And since I don't have the time or savvy to really figure out everything on blogging, Kendall got it on the blog for me. So if you're interested, you can peruse our music choices. In general, though, everything that sounds like it was written before 1960 is probably mine, while all the 80's heavy metal stuff is Kendall's (he has a soft spot for monster ballads). With a few exceptions, of course. The Queen addition was mine (I've been a closet Queen fan forever), and we mutually agree on More Than Words and Sister Christian. And somewhere in the middle is A Little Less Conversation by Elvis, and Jungle Love, both of which we associate with favorite episodes of "Everybody Loves Raymond". That show hits pretty close to home sometimes. We'll let you figure out whose family belongs to whom. ;-)

We also agreed on Into the West, from Return of the King, but I can't listen to it without crying, so I'll probably skip it when I'm just listening to it on my own. I might go all holiday, though, and make a Christmas list to have on during the season.

One happy thing...Football is over!!! Wahoo!!! I loved how enthusiastic Peter was about it, but boy, it sure is a drain with the time commitment. So I'm glad we can use that time for homework now. (And Kendall is thrilled he can finally watch a BYU game instead of listening in stolen moments.)

And one of these days we'll get some family photos up here...I just have to have someone walk me through it once. Or twice.

So This is Life...

2008-09-20T23:22:00.002-06:00

So this week has been, well, eventful. It seems that the cliche is true---it never rains but it pours. The weeks are speeding by in a rush of driving, cleaning up after babies, making meals, cleaning up after babies, driving, cleaning up after babies, football, Sarah's after school activities, cleaning up after babies, etc.

And of course, a visit to the doctor today to find out that Andrew broke his arm 'significantly' falling off the piano bench. He's two, and when asked if his arm hurt, would say "No," but then refused to use it. So we were home all of an hour, and I had left him to watch a movie while I was doing the laundry downstairs, only to hear Sarah yell "Andrew, NO!" He'd succeeded in halfway unwrapping the splint in the 5 minutes I was gone from the room.

Of course the funniest/saddest part was in the office. The kind doctor was showing us the x-ray, pointing out the break in one bone and the 45 degree angle in the other, and Andrew started crying, "Scary! Scary!" and buried his face in Kendall's arm.

So Monday will be normal chaos, plus Sarah's orthodontist appointment and a visit to the orthopedic surgeon to have a cast put on. The doctor said usually these casts are on two to three weeks, but in this case, it will probably be more like 4 to 6. So we can add sponge baths through Halloween to the schedule.

Here's my question to the universe--why has every child (except Sarah) broken their left arm when they were 2 1/2 years old?

First Day of School=Insanity

2008-08-25T21:56:00.002-06:00

So today was the first day of school here, and even though we only have two kids in school so far, but one is in junior high (ack!!), and both kids are not in the neighborhood schools, so it is up to us to get them where they need to go. For Sarah, it will always be just us getting to and from school, but for Peter, I'm PRAYING that we will find a carpool that will work to get him there in the morning. Last year we were able to split the difference between Kendall and I, with him dropping off and me picking up. But with Sarah going to the west side of Davis county and Peter to the east side, I keep asking myself if it's worth it. I'm sure the neighborhood schools are great--everybody else sends their kids there, right? But at this point, I'm committed to this course of making sure they get the best education available to them, regardless of what it means. Right? I'm begging someone to tell me I'm doing the right thing.

So even though today was crazy, I'm reserving judgement until the first few weeks are over, and I can decide if it's going to work, or if I lost my brain.

Finish or Move?

2008-07-21T22:02:00.002-06:00

So the question is: do you finish the basement of a home you hate, so you have more finished space to hate, or do you try to fix it up to sell in a depressed market so you can find a better house?

Well the answer, at least for us, is just finish the dang thing! We gave it a good look, debating whether the money would be better spent on a bigger mortgage or use it to finish the rooms downstairs. Ultimately we decided to finish the basement and live in it for a while.

So I'm not quite sure how or when it was going to be accomplished, with everything that seems to be snowballing. Just today I signed up Peter to play football in the local rec league. Starting next week he'll be doing practices and/or games five days a week, up through mid October. School starts the end of August, with Sarah going to the jr. high 15 minutes away, Peter going to an elementary school 15 minutes the other directions, piano lessons, Salt Lake Children's choir, young women's activities, Meri in preschool and dance, not to mention the two little boys just being toddlers. I'm left wondering when all the rest of life is supposed to be taken care of.

Well, enough of my vent. I really should be doing something productive, like dishes. ;-P

Push Through or Go Around

2008-06-28T22:13:00.000-06:00

So this morning as Kendall and I walked I hit 'the wall'. Not hard, but hard enough that I recognized the symptoms of 'give-up-itis' setting in. Two weeks in, tons longer than anything I've ever attempted before, and it finally got hard. But we were only half way through, and it wasn't like I could pull an 'Andrew' and lay down on the road to wait for someone to figure out what's wrong and carry me home. So I pushed through, worked a little bit harder, and then I found my stride. The rest of the walk was great.

I've found this 'push through' ability within myself, not from my inate nature, but forced on me by motherhood. I've always been a flash-in-the-pan, instant-gratification kind of person. But when you're a mom, there is no end to what needs to be done. There is no 'exit' button here.
And finally that has started to trickle into the rest of my life. Most notably my writing.

I've written I don't know how many first chapters. Too many. But finally one has stuck around longer than five pages. Horray! That 'keep it going' attitude has gotten me through to the fourth chapter.

Now if only that would trickle down to the dishes.

So there was a beginning...

2008-06-28T00:40:00.000-06:00

So I finally decided that it was time to get out of my head and into the real world. There is so much I want to share (though I don't know if any one cares to hear it), but I don't want to overwhelm the world with my abundance, so I'll start slow.

What I wanted to say is that even though this blog will jump into my life in the middle of it all, this is a time of new beginnings for me. I'm at a time (probably a midlife crisis) where I realized that no one is going to live my life for me. If I'm going to have the experiences in my life that I want, I have to reach out and grab it.

So...on to the juicy stuff.

I am many things--wife, mother, writer, Mormon, foodie, reader, now a blogger. One thing that I am, too, is overweight. My point in sharing that is not to say "Look at me! I am fat!", but to share with the world, my goals in this area. I've tried many times to lose weight for weight's sake, but I've never had a goal for which weight loss would be critical. One thing that has always fascinated me is the triathlon.

I want to participate in a triathlon. My stated goal to family and friends (and now the world) is to be ready to do one in two years. One year to lose most of the extra 100 lbs, and the second year to lose the rest and train in the different disciplines.

My hope is that through this experience, and blogging about it everyday, I can stay motivated and focused, so that I can make this dream a reality. My hope is to keep myself accountable by writing about the trials and tribulations of achieving this goal, while sharing those juicy tidbits that always leak out when you're writing about personal things.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy every slice (of life) you're served.