Tuesday, June 30, 2009
this is what happens . . .
Thursday, June 25, 2009
rattlesnake adventure
As we continued on it occurred to me that Adam didn't have enough fear of rattlesnakes. Sheesh, I'd even settle for healthy respect. He's been around other harmless snakes in the places we've lived, but I had to remind him just how dangerous a rattler was. Anyway, all's well that ends well, but I'm just grateful I had taken the time to say my morning prayers.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
catch-up
My birthday luncheon at my sister's house, made perfect by Italian sodas and a Marie Callender's pie.
Kate turns one! I was a little sad this day. 
I'm not a huge fan of messy-faced baby pictures, but you've gotta admit this one's pretty cute!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
27 dresses (almost)
Monday, March 30, 2009
family pics 2008
Kate, 6 months

Elizabeth, almost 4
Thomas, 5


Adam, 9Just thought I'd post some shots from our fall family pictures. We had a great time with our cute photographer, Hailey Bean. She was so great with the kids! You'll notice that 3yo Elizabeth found it quite difficult to keep her tongue in her mouth, but we decided to go with it because that's just who she was at the time! She still does it when she concentrates really hard.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
the highlights
Thomas turned six on January 2. We had a cute snowman theme for him (thanks for the darling cupcake idea, Natalie)!
Sledding up Big Cottonwood Canyon with cousins.
Our favorite place to sled...can't remember the name, but it's close to Donut Hole Falls. If you're gonna go sledding, you might as well have fabulous scenery, too!
Me, with my sister Kim.
We took the babies with us, and kept them in the Port-a-Crib at the bottom of the hill. Ok, so they cried a little, but as far as Moments of Parenting Brilliance are concerned, this idea is second only to Taking my Toddlers to the Movie Theater Strapped into their Carseats.
My favorite picture from the day...and this is before we really flew into the snowdrift. Our faces were plastered with powder. I hope my nephew Andrew is able to laugh about it now! He was a little popsicle.
Joshua had an awesome camping birthday with his friends. I stayed up until four in the morning doing all the decorations and it was so worth it! Everything was great and I'm telling you, Joshua's reaction when he woke up the next morning was all the thanks I needed.
We did camping songs, ghost stories, and hot dogs, and cooked s'mores over a campfire in the backyard. It was so great.
Joshua also started Cub Scouts and loves it.
We took a fun trip to California to celebrate Joshua's 8th birthday. We went with my parents, my brother Christian, my sister Jennifer, my sister Kim, and their families. It was so perfect having so many people to take turns and watch kids. All the cousins had a great time together!

At the end of the month, Joshua got baptized. It was a really nice day.
My two cute girls. Kate is ten months old now and is everyone's favorite playmate. She is cruising everywhere, doing a bit of sign language when she feels like cooperating, and has a smile that seems to never go away! She is so loveable and sweet, even though she won't cuddle with me much!Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
christmas 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
mormon ads


Elizabeth: "And Mom, I will NEVER get close to the edge like that."



Elizabeth: "I am NEVER going to eat ice cream with a bug in it."
Ok, so the symbolic nature of these ads was lost on her, but to hear the resolve in her voice would have made any mother proud. After all, how many of your kids have promised not to put trash on their heads?
Monday, December 1, 2008
caught!
Ok, so I walked into the kitchen and this is how I found little piglet Joshua "cleaning up" hot chocolate powder. Some of you are making a mental note to never eat off of my counters again, and the rest of you are remembering how you did this when you were a kid. Admit it.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
the holy war
I guess you'd have to be from Utah to fully appreciate this post . . . GO UTES!!!!
An new addition to the post: I just wanted to add a little detail to for my own journaling.
Monday, November 24, 2008
family night felt
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
so sweet

I am in love. You all know how much I love children's artwork, especially sweet and clean (and simple!) designs. I just found some of the cutest artwork I've ever seen, by a local artist named Sarah Jane. Enjoy!
Monday, November 10, 2008
everything but the kitchen sink
But we got to talking the other night. "It can't be that difficult, right? I mean, we're not talking about electrical wiring or anything. Maybe we can do this." We decided we would give it a try, though Tim just kept lamenting the fact that he didn't have time to deal with this. "I know, Sweetie-pie," I thought, "Kinda like I don't love hauling enormous pots of hot water from the bathtub to rinse dishes in." But I didn't say it out loud.
Enter Yolanda. She and her kids came over to play and I pointed out my faucet to her. All I can say is, I should have known what would happen next. Before I knew it, she was under my kitchen sink, checking out the situation, telling me that we could do this. "Wouldn't that be so fun for Tim to come home and find it already fixed?" she asked. Still, I'm not convinced at this point, but then again, I've got Yolanda standing in my kitchen. She and her husband can fix anything on the planet.
She shooes me out the door to go pick out a faucet at Home Depot, and I'm back in no time, despite almost passing out from Delta/Moen Sticker Shock Syndrome (also known as DMSSS). Not four hours later, I'm looking at a gorgeous new faucet, though we both thought it would be much quicker. And it would have been faster, were it not for the complicated water filtration system I decided to remove from under the sink. Let's just say that removing that filter was a little like opening a can of worms, leaving me there with a variety of plumbing "loose ends" to find solutions for. Still, after one more trip to Home Depot, we persevered and did it together. And my husband, upon returning home that evening, thought I was a superstar. I think he almost cried when he realized he was off the hook for playing plumber on his next day-off.
And yes, I did tell him it was all thanks to my awesome friend Yolanda, who constantly reminds me that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
No turning back now.
Seriously, this is a moment for the history books.
Voila!
Ooooooh, I can't stop looking at it! Is this fixture beautiful, or what?
Saturday, November 8, 2008
elizabeth turns four
When you're four, you want what all your friends have. So for Elizabeth, this meant a Hello Kitty birthday party this year. For my little girl, I overcame my fear of marzipan and crafted the masterpiece you see above. It was a little touch-and-go for a while, what with the frosting threatening to slide right off the cake more than once and the marzipan kitty not cooperating as it should. However, when it was all said and done, Elizabeth's happy reaction was worth every painstaking step for a cake she loved.
That's because 4 year-olds don't see lopsided layers, goopy frosting, or imperfect rosettes. They think everything is beautiful.
Sparkling homemade play-dough.
A family that loves her.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Monday, November 3, 2008
busy baby
Here's our little perfect cuteness Kate, already keeping us on our toes at 6 and a half months! She is everywhere and into everything with her darling little scooting crawl. I guess I just didn't expect to have to baby-proof quite so soon, and no, it wasn't very fun to explain to dear husband why his daughter nearly lost an eye (I'm telling you, she was right there, playing at my feet) while I was blogging unawares. I have since repented of such poor parenting.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
amazing zuppa toscana

Makes 6-8 Servings
Ingredients
1 lb ground Italian sausage (I use mild)
¾ tsp crushed red pepper
1 large white onion, diced
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale
1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 minutes or until the onions are soft.
3. Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage.
7. Add kale just before serving.
Buon appetito!!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
family portraits
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
more halloween fun
Checklist:
1. An insane amount of halloween candy.
2. Lots of cousins to join in the fun.
3. A healthy dose of adult sibling rivalry.
And that's the way fabulous haunted houses are created, though I was a little disappointed not to see any flying buttresses this year, Jeff. Read more. . .
sweater weather
A while back, I got this great little tip from someone for restoring sweaters that "ball up" over time. Holding a razor blade almost parallel to the sweater, simply scrape along and remove all those little fuzzies. Nice, eh?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
a favorite

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."
-Margaret D. Nadauld, “The Joy of Womanhood,” Ensign, Nov 2000, 14–16
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
takin' matters into my own hands

There's a history here, but I don't think I need to go into it. Most of us have had bad experiences with babysitters, right? (Don't get me started on the work ethic of this generation). Anyway, a cousin of mine suggested writing down my expectations beforehand, and I thought it was a great idea. I printed this and put it in a plastic slipcover, where I can write in the necessary information as it changes. I did this for the first time the other night with a brand-new babysitter, and we came home very pleased. Tim calls it "grooming our babysitters", but I just call it success! We pay sitters generously, and for the first time in a long time, it was worth it. Hope this helps someone else out there who actually believes, like I do, that babysitters should earn their paycheck!
happy halloween!

Monday, October 13, 2008
the truth about me
The sad thing is, I was born into a very musical family. Though they never said it aloud, my parents must have often pitied the unfair dispersion of the musical talents among their children. I didn't get the voice, I didn't get the natural sense of rhythm, but I got the, um, well. . . . I'll have to think about what it is I did get. But for now, let's just say I've been happily muddling my way through Sundays with the primary kids.
The truth is, I really enjoy my calling, and I know things don't happen by accident. I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing. And, the kids are forgiving and I've had a lot of fun teaching the music and keeping things creative (see Billy Bubblegum and Betty Spaghetti above). But I just wish there was some way to be spared having to lead music in front of everyone in a few more weeks!
I remember a thought I relied on heavily during my college days when I'd be dreading an enormous final: Nothing is so sure as the passage of time.
Let's just hope that my seventy minutes passes without incident, right?
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
our little corner of the world
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
the yard...after!
I am a lazy blogger. Now that we've got that out of the way, I hereby present to you THE YARD. We finished the project in mid-August, but I'm just getting around to posting. So, we hope you enjoy the pics of our brand-spankin' new concrete, the lushest green grass you'll ever step foot on, darling patio furniture (purchased on clearance at Target, I might add), new sprinkler system, the final length of vinyl fencing, concrete curbing and a fabulous new basketball hoop to keep my little maniacs, er...boys, happy and busy. In short, it's perfect...and I love that my also-perfect husband finally has his favorite stress relief right in his own backyard. It's clean, simple, and exactly the way we envisioned it. The kids have a ton of room for riding bikes & scooters, four-square, soccer, football, tossing a baseball...well, you get the picture. You can't see it, but there's also a narrow flowerbed along the back fence, which will hopefully be filled with gorgeous flowers next year.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
death matches and ugly shoes
Thomas, age 4: "These shoes are definitely ugly." As a four year old, definitely was one of his favorite words. After losing his own shoes, I overheard him muttering to himself when he had to wear some hand-me-down brown leather ones. For those of you who know Thomas, just imagine him saying this in his deep little gravelly voice.
Elizabeth, almost 3: "I don't stink like a puppy dog, I stink like a princess!" This is how Queeen Elizabeth corrected me when I told her we had to wash her hair because she smelled like a puppy.
"I like my other face better!" from a positively wailing Joshua (age 6), after waking up to an allergic reaction to some Halloween makeup. In this picture, his face doesn't look too bad, but it took major coaxing, smoothing, convincing, bribery...all those things we do as parents...to get him to go to school that day.
"Dad, maybe you should just leave the Band-Aids out." -Joshua was watching Tim and Uncle Michael getting pretty roughed up during a house project. Joshua said this after being sent three times to the closet for Band-Aids.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
in progress. . .
Sorry to be annoying, but I'm still working on posting "after" pictures of the yard. This is what the project looked like about half-way through. We poured a new basketball court, sidewalk, and patio area (behind photographer). Before this project, we always lamented that although the house was great, the yard was unfortunate. Well, we were absolutely shocked (and pleasantly surprised) at how much bigger the yard was after clearing out the garden area and shed. After the concrete was done, it took a long time to get the sprinklers, grass and curbing in. . . some of you might know how it is working with landscapers! Final reveal shots coming soon. . .
Friday, September 5, 2008

Wednesday, September 3, 2008
first day of kindergarten
Here is adorable Thomas on the first day of kindergarten! He was so excited to finally go to school with his brothers today! Afterward, the PTA put on a cute "Boo-hoo Breakfast" for all the weepy parents. I did manage to successfully swallow that lump in my throat and blink back the tears as he walked up the steps into his classroom. Just another [rather emotional] thought before I finish up here: it doesn't matter how many kids I have; things just continue to be special for each one. After five, I still get excited over lost teeth, a baby finding her fists, a basket going through the hoop, or a child saying a sweet prayer. What a privilege it is to be a mother. I think these little moments of everyday life add up to one great big miracle and I'm glad I get to be here.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
the yard. . .before
Monday, September 1, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
because i'm the mom, that's why
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
what?!?

Tragically, my cousin just informed me that the cleaning fairy does not, in actuality, exist. Now what?
darling

what i did on my summer vacation
Here ya go...a big batch of pictures from our summer roadtrip through Yellowstone and our enormous family reunion at Bear Lake. It was fabulous.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
tagged!
Tag #3: My favorite shoes. Yep, I'm a heel-girl. Either that, or barefoot.
Tag #4: My fridge, which is mostly filled by the 9 gallons of milk I buy each week.
Tag #6: My closet, almost always a mess. I would consider it walkable today, though usually you can't even see the carpet. I just think every mom needs at least one junk drawer and a place to throw everything she doesn't want her kids to touch!
For the record, Tim's the tidy one around here. His closet is the single cleanest place in our house, keeping my world in balance!
Tag #7: My first-born. Adam is gone to scouts this fine morning, so we'll settle for my darling second-born, Joshua, still sleeping in at 9:30 in the morning. Can you tell we've been staying up late watching the Olympics?
Tag #8: A blurry pic of my cutie third-born, Thomas (still in his jammies).
Tag #9: What I'm listening to right now: the oh-so-fabulous Wicked! Has anyone else ever cried while listening to this music?

Ok, now I'm tagging Nancy, Kim, Wendy, Gretchen, and Ashlie.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
sunday best
Thursday, July 24, 2008
o pioneer

They entered the valley
With gladness—
They endured to the end.
-Lisa South, Ensign, July 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
adam
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
a smarter closet
Monday, July 14, 2008
kate's blessing
Monday, July 7, 2008
the quest for contentment

Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
does anyone else think this is fun?
So it was a day of celebration when Tim gave me the green light to buy the first decent vacuum of our eleven years of marriage. After sending a string of cheap vacuums to the dump these past years (you know how it is going through medical school and residency. . .) I finally got a great one. So, please forgive this compulsion I have to share my proverbial dirt with you, but are you kidding me?!?!?! Look at all that muck above! I have to say-I was AMAZED, plain and simple, at the dirt that was hiding in my house. And we just got new carpet in April! The first time I vacuumed I got a full canister of dirt. . .IN EACH ROOM!
I haven't had this much fun housecleaning in years.
peanut shells and cracker jacks
The Loveridge fam does a monthly family home evening together, and we all take turns planning and hosting. On Monday night, Amy and Marshall got all of us out to a Salt Lake Bees game! I watched a couple of pitches and had fun just hanging out, talking, and trying to keep my kids from carelessly tossing themselves over the balcony rails (it was pretty evident they weren't going to worry about themselves too much). Good fun, although Thomas was pretty worried about the people who just threw their peanut shells right on the ground.
My little chubby-bubby Kate....adding a new fat roll each day!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
long time no. . .well, everything
Friday, May 23, 2008
washington, dc
Tim and Kate in our hotel lobby.
Capitol BuildingOh my heck. . . I could just eat her up! We would be walking along with her and just have to stop & take a picture because she was so cute!
At the Museum of Natural History. We thought the Smithsonian museums and galleries were fantastic. Too much to write about, or even post pictures of!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
more kate
Sunday, April 27, 2008
final score: boys 3, girls 2
The kids were so excited to meet their new little sister, though Adam was really hoping for a brother. I told him that Kate will probably love playing sports with him when she gets bigger!
Already wrapped around Daddy's finger. . .wait a second, you know what I mean! He's smitten.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
and the days were accomplished. . .

Tuesday, April 15, 2008
does this mean we're grown-up now?
I wanted to post pictures of our new living room! After sitting empty for the last two years, we finally decided it was time to furnish it. Tim and I had so much fun picking out all the pieces and colors and accessories together; I was surprised how like-minded we were through the whole project. I think the most difficult part was agreeing on how to arrange it all! We raised the step-down floor, put in a chair rail, baseboards, new carpet (a lovely shade of Kid Brown), rug, furniture, artwork, and decos...the first time we've ever decorated a room from start to finish. And, it's a very comfortable room that we actually use and don't mind letting the kids come in. It's been a long time in coming, and we love it!
Monday, April 7, 2008
the latest addiction

Shame on you, Amy and Marshall. I rue the day that you introduced me to this sinful concoction of processed cheese and. . .and. . . Ok, so I don't know exactly what's in it, but I do know that all self-control goes out the window when the lid is popped. I don't even bother to warm this stuff up anymore...for the tortilla chip it's a short ride from jar to mouth! I'm just hoping that this particular post slips past my mom, a good woman who raised her children to think that this particular shade of yellow was the sheer embodiment of dietary evil.
I wonder if she knows about my Nutella addiction yet.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
just daydreaming
Saturday, March 29, 2008
invisible women

Tuesday, March 25, 2008
easter
eleventh anniversary
First, we farmed out all the kids to various people's houses (thank you so much, everyone!). We then went to see I Am Legend (good, clean, SCARY flick). It was just so fun seeing a movie with my husband in the middle of the day and not having to worry about the kids, though I admit that I kept looking around for them!
After the movie we went to the grocery store and bought our usual load of anniversary junk food, drove downtown, checked into our hotel, and then had fun exploring some things in downtown SLC we've been wanting to see. We went to the City County Building, the city library, and the newly renovated State Capitol Building. It was so enjoyable to walk, hold hands, and wander around downtown without kids in tow. This may sound simple, but I love my husband's company.
After exploring downtown, we enjoyed a fabulous steak dinner, followed by a date to the Desert Star Theater. What a fun place! They do hokey roadshow-type performances there and we had a great time. This year we stayed at the beautiful & historic Peery hotel. It was so charming! We had a great getaway and just enjoyed being together! Every year I just wonder how I could possibly love Tim any more than I do now, but I do! I am so blessed with such a fun, organized, thoughtful, practical, and sweet, & amazing husband. I am so spoiled!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
finding balance
So, Easter is upon us. . . a little earlier than usual this year. The walk through Target and Walmart begs the question, "Aren't these getting just a bit bigger each year?" You know what I'm talking about; those enormous pre-filled, cellophane-encased Easter baskets that will most likely dwarf their intended recipients.I apologize if you hefted one of those baskets into your car this week. To be truthful, we're not quite sure how to handle Easter at our house, either. Without a doubt, we know and always try to teach our kids that Easter is about the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. However, as with Christmas, we think it's possible to find a balance between teaching religious truths and celebrating the fun pagan traditions that have become so delicately intermingled. We think Easter egg hunts are fun and have already consumed plenty of Robin eggs and marshmallow Peeps this month (p.s. remind me to tell you what happens when you roast a defenseless Peep over the stovetop).
I guess we're just still trying to figure out the best way to balance both sides. How do you celebrate Easter at your house? If you do a candy hunt, is it on Saturday or Sunday? How do you teach your children the real meaning of Easter? And what about the Easter bunny? We'd really love your input as we try to teach our children to see past the jellybeans and Reese's eggs (as delectable as they are)!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
the plight of the fair-skinned
It's that time of year again, where the snow is melting, the temperature's rising, and the sun is making more regular appearances. Unfortunately, it's also the time when you realize -with certain panic- that frighteningly pale skin hides beneath the pants and long sleeves you've sported all winter. I've long since repented of those days as a teenager when I would actually subject myself to the rays of the tanning bed, horrified that I ever did such a thing. But I digress. Today I'll simply share one of my favorite little secrets, sunless tanner. I love this particular one, especially having such fair skin; it's so subtle and gradual if you do it carefully. Though I've missed the mark more than once, all I'm going for is the slightest suggestion of color, because we all know that's more flattering than dead white skin! Yikes.
Now, all this is really quite inconsequential in light of being a very pregnant person and not feeling even remotely cute, but I use the tanner for the same reason I continue the agony of shaving and painting my toenails; anything to feel better about myself!
Friday, March 7, 2008
tasha tudor




Wednesday, February 27, 2008
follow up
Just a clarification of the previous post about dating your kids. This is a simplified form of last year's schedule, and it ends up that each child goes out every other month, switching between Mom and Dad. You might be thinking that it doesn't sound like much-that it's not often enough-but we wanted to be very careful and realistic about what we'd be able to do as a family. Keep in mind the many things that families are already busy with, such as kids' sports/practices, scouting, church obligations, family activities, etc. This has worked out perfectly for us...though the holidays do seem to get us off-track!
If you have fewer children you might be able to go out more; we just wanted to make sure that the outings happened, rather than continually disappointing the kids because we were over-scheduled.
2007 One-on-One Time
with our Adorable Kids!
Month: Mom/Dad
January: Adam/Thomas
February: Joshua/Elizabeth
March: Thomas/Adam
April: Elizabeth/Joshua
May: Adam/Thomas
June: Joshua/Elizabeth
July: Thomas/Adam
August: Elizabeth/Joshua
September: Adam/Thomas
October: Joshua/Elizabeth
November: Thomas/Adam
December: Elizabeth/Joshua
random side note: sometimes the formatting on Blogger is so frustrating! Or the lack of it . . .
another random side note: some of you may know how much I like symmetry in my life....and this will sound really shallow/ungrateful! Having five kids throws things off balance! Take this schedule for example...all the numbers will be thrown off when our new little darling will be thrown into the mix. There are things like "picking a buddy" when we go places, sharing rides at Disneyland, cutting sandwiches or apples in half to share....you get the idea! I'll have all this odd leftover stuff to deal with. With that said, I'd rather have this precious little one as part of our family than to have all my ducks perfectly in a row!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
yeah, I'll put on an alien hat to make my kid smile
Thomas and I had a fun date to the planetarium this week! Just like that precious alone time with your husband, dating your kids also reminds you of all the reasons you love them. Going on "dates" with our kids is a fun tradition we started a couple of years ago. . .and the kids are always quick to remind us when it's their turn! I think these outings together will only become more important as the years go by.
What are your favorite quality times with your kids? How do you squeeze in the alone time that each child needs?
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
my baby's nine?
Books, a surefire way to please this kid. I think he's read every single one of these, but it's better than Harry Potter for a fifth time! He's getting excited about his growing book collection.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
january
It's true, everyone. . . after a whirlwind start to 2008 I've updated the blog! It seems that when I haven't posted for some time, a slideshow is the perfect way to give an efficient update. Here's a short list of the January happenings (actually, this all happened within an emotional one-week period):
-We celebrated New Year's at Kim & John's house, complete with Mormon-trademark Martinelli's and quite legal fireworks in the snow. Above, you'll also see a picture of my sister Kim, getting ready for baby #6 to come (incidentally...I'm six months right now and that's how big I am-umm, where was she hiding that kid)?
-After New Year's, I received the heartbreaking news that a dear friend of mine lost her 8-month old baby, Esther. I've never grieved alongside a friend before; it has been a very tender experience for me and many others close to their family. Gratefully, somewhere in the midst of the sadness is the bright hope of the resurrection and eternal families.
-On a happy note, Joshua turned seven years old that same week! We celebrated his birthday with Chinese takeout over at Grandma & Grandpa Love's house. Notice his adorable toothless grin!
-Thomas turned five years old and had a construction birthday party! My favorite details of the party included giving the kids their own hammers, tool belts, and hats for party favors, serving brownies from a dumptruck, and letting the kids hammer away for one of the activities. I LOVE doing birthday parties for my kids! The spontaneous hugs and thank you's from Thomas were worth all the hard work and planning.
-My sister had her sixth baby, a beautiful girl named Bethany! What a blessing to be there at her birth. . .a miracle.
-My husband's parents returned from their mission to Bulgaria! We had a fun (and late) gathering at Tim's sister's house, complete with some good old American fast food that Mom and Dad had been craving. It isn't every party you go to where the spread includes hamburgers, fries, and tacos! Tim's parents are remarkable people. One day there will be an entire blog devoted just to them. . .I love them so much.
It was a week and month filled with some extreme emotions; the sadness of loss interspersed with joy and excitement. At any rate, I suppose it's true that we wouldn't appreciate or understand happiness if we never experienced sadness and pain. I'm just grateful to know my Heavenly Father is up there, in control of it all.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
tagged
Two names you go by:
1. Tiff
2. ribbumpibbum (don't ask...it's a remnant from a childhood nickname)
Two things you are wearing right now :
1. two layered, fitted shirts, which probably don't look that great on my pregnant self
2. brown maternity cords
TWO OF your favorite things to do:
1. Sit around the corner and listen to Elizabeth talk to herself
2. wake up to fresh snow
Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. living room furniture
2. pizza hut pizza
Two Pets that you have or have had
1. Sea monkeys (they finally hatched today!)
2. Four+ kids is enough for me...not a pet person
Two people who will fill this out:
1. Wendy (don't let me down!)
2. Kim
Two things you did last night:
1. watched HGTV
2. watched Tim play dodgeball with the kids (in the aforementioned empty living room)
Two things you ate today:
1. chocolate pop tarts (purchased not for the children, but for my secret stash)
2. chicken noodle soup
Two people you last talked to:
1. some girls in the ward about a playgroup
2. Tim, who informed me I've already overspent for groceries this month
Two things you're doing tomorrow:
1. playgroup at my house; better get cleaning
2. game night with the kids
Longest trips taken:
1. road trip from NY to coast of Maine ( took 12 hrs. one way)
2. road trip from UT to Vancouver (took 18-20 one way)
Your favorite holidays:
1. Christmas
2. school holidays when the kids are home
Two favorite beverages:
1 . water (or 1% milk with ice in it)
2. Barq's rootbeer
Now I'm tagging Wendy, Kim, and Nancy.....YOU"RE IT!
Monday, January 21, 2008
good, clean, paper fun
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
edward

Mid-January is when life begins to quiet down for us again, though when the Christmas lovelies are put away, the house is woefully in need of deep cleaning. Still, this week I found a way to ignore the dirty walls and dusty corners pleading for my attention. The kids and I just finished reading an unexpectedly beautiful book: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. It's the story of a china rabbit, and that's all I will tell you.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007
just pretty, that's all
Thursday, December 6, 2007
baked grapefruit

Today Thomas and I enjoyed one of our favorite simple treats: baked grapefruit (sorry-couldn't find a good picture). If you're already a grapefruit lover, I think you'll enjoy this easy and elegant recipe.
Baked Grapefruit (Prep time: 5 minutes, serves 2 )
1 whole Ruby Red or pink grapefruit
granulated sugar (also really pretty to use natural cane sugar crystals)
cinnamon
real butter
Set oven to broil. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small dish. Cut grapefruit in half. Cut out the center and around the perimeter, taking care not to pierce the skin. Put pat of butter into the center of each grapefruit, and generously sprinkle grapefruit with cinnamon sugar. Broil until bubbly on top & slightly browned. Serve warm.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
conquering the closet
As some of you may know, I really like to put my money into things that make life and home run more smoothly. This is precisely why we put tile in most of our main floor; it's easy to maintain, everyone relaxes a bit more, and I don't have as many carpets to scrub. I'm really becoming a no-nonsense girl as the years go by.
Anyway, this was one of my projects last week: the coat closet. When we brought out all the winter trappings it became an instant household nightmare. It was an avalanche of coats, gloves, and boots....waiting to swallow an innocent kid trying to go catch some snowflakes on his tongue!
This over-the-door shoe organizer (we were thus far unable to use it in this closet) now lies flat against the back wall (I just removed the hooks and nailed the top panel). And let's just face it: what kid is going to hang their coat on a hanger? Both side walls are replete with coat hooks, with everything labeled for each family member so there's no mistake where your stuff goes. The kids are only allowed one pair of shoes and one pair of boots in the closet; extra shoes stay in their own rooms. Granted, I took this pic when the kids were gone to school, so it is a bit more full with their coats in it. For being such a small space, it's really working.
I don't like fuss when it comes to keeping something organized. A sure sign that a system is good is that it can all but maintain itself, and I haven't touched this closet in over a week. It's working, and that's something to celebrate! And now, if someone would just invent a self-cleaning bathroom. . .
Saturday, November 24, 2007
the stuff of life

How's that for finding beauty in simplicity?
Monday, November 12, 2007
e's birthday
Elizabeth lingered around her cake for a couple of hours, waiting for Daddy to get home. She just stayed by the cake and kept looking over her shoulder, so I knew she was up to no good. I tried to be inconspicuous with my camera and finally caught her purple-handed!
Being crowned by Joshua.
Adam got on the computer all by himself...he typed E. a birthday note, decorated it, and then printed her an Ariel coloring page. I thought his gift was adorable!
Elizabeth was excited about her new dishes and has tea parties with at least one brother every day! If this next baby is a boy, I think he's in trouble, too. . .
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
happy birfday!
My baby is three today! Can I just tell you what a little sunshine she is (except when she's not being a sunshine)? This little girl has brought so much joy to our home...three boys are so much fun, but there's just something about having all the girly stuff around! She's even reduced our all-boy Adam to singing her princess songs from time to time! We'll celebrate her birthday tonight when Daddy gets home, but until then, I'll just enjoy her going around telling everyone Happy Birfday!
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Thursday, October 25, 2007
apple party
There were ten kids there, and we had fun reading about apples and singing apple songs!
We also did an Apple Toss, played Pass the Apple and Pin the Apple on the Tree. I think being blindfolded was a very new concept for a lot of them!
It was a fun fall party!
some pictures
A favorite hang-out these days
Nothing like Saturday morning breakfast and cartoons. . .
Friday, October 19, 2007
susan's stuffed mushrooms

Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
children's literature

Saturday, October 13, 2007
some pictures
Hey, as long as I'm sitting here...here's a little slideshow for you. I'd better go do some dishes so Tim doesn't have to eat out of Rubbermaid containers anymore.
foregoing the frivolous
-Lots of fun with fall soccer, though we've had four rainy weekends in a row. Adam (8.5) scored twice and Joshua (6.5) scored once today. Thomas & Elizabeth just like the treats and ask, "When is it going to be over?" No, more like, "When is it going to be ooooovvvverrrrrr"?
-Had my first baby appointment yesterday... love my new doctor and grateful to hear that heartbeat. Now I can really start thinking of this as a real baby, not just a state of being (pregnancy)! 12 weeks along.
-Thomas (4.5) is having fewer temper tantrums...I'm really trying to spoil him and give him more attention...and it's working. Drawing and painting are two of his favorite things to do. Got invited to his first Halloween party this month and has been carrying the invitation around with him everywhere.
-Started/stopped potty-training Elizabeth (2.75). Guess she wasn't really ready. The hard part was taking away all her cute new underwear and toys. She's still ever the princess!
-Speaking of princesses: I had my second princess party today....it was awesome and went so well. I can't believe I really get paid just to go and have fun like that! I've got two more booked for next month, and then I'm sure I'll certainly be too chubby for my princess dress. Plan to start up again June 2008 (good incentive to lose that baby fat)!
-Tim is done BEING ON-CALL! Their group will no longer be admitting their own patients to the hospital, so this means that now they'll just have pager-call (mostly answering questions on the phone) once a month. This will be a nice change for our family...and maybe he'll get home for dinner more often during those call-weeks.
-Just a side note-I saw the most beautiful thing last week. I was driving somewhere, and close in the foreground was bright green grass, beyond that the mountains were ablaze with orange, yellow and brown, with dark evergreen trees above and snow-capped tips even higher. It was like a taste of each season within one vista....spring, summer, fall and winter, all shaking hands with one another.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
~Mother Teresa
Thursday, September 27, 2007
happy birthday, grandma!
Monday, September 24, 2007
more sleepless nights
For all the pictures we take at our house, I realized that this was the best recent picture I could find of Joshua (almost a year old). At any rate, we had some excitement at our house last night and I just wanted a picture of him to go along with the post (visual interest is good, right?).

Let me interject some background here: Joshua sleepwalks. We're now able to laugh at the time when we found him inside his bedroom closet, relieving his bladder against the wall. And sometimes it's great fun to follow him around in his dreamlike state, just to see where he'll go.
But hearing that front door close last night was just plain scary. Tim and I ran to the front door, where we realized it was raining heavily outside. We had all of one second for pause, because Joshua was running and had already reached the neighbor's house. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Tim take inventory of himself and I realized his garment-clad dilemma. Being a good and selfless wife (yet not about to expose myself to the neighbors in a similar state), I said urgently, "Honey, just go!"
He raced across the yard, caught up to him and carried the wet little boy back to the house. I looked into Joshua's eyes and asked him if he was awake, because you'd think he would be after his little dash in the rain! When he just looked at me with vacant eyes, Tim simply escorted him back to bed.
Oh, and the final insult. I tried my hardest not to laugh when I heard Tim groaning and complaining in the hall. He had stepped in something wet. . . and it wasn't rainwater.
Monday, September 17, 2007
monster in my closet
Last week I had an interesting experience with Elizabeth. She's almost three and is going through a phase where she wakes up crying at least once a night. I don't know where she learned about them, but once in a while she'll sob something about a monster (I suspect Grandpa Love's teasing is to blame). I'll cuddle her for a minute and then she'll go right back to sleep.
Anyway, when we tuck her into bed at night, she'll often bring up the topic. It seems counter-intuitive, but the approach I've been taking is to acknowledge that the monsters are real, and try to tame them a little in her mind. So one night, I suggested to her that if the monster came to visit her, she should tell him that she's sleeping and she can't play right now (and maybe they could play in the morning). Elizabeth animatedly added that she would tell the monster to go home to his mommy and eat cookies. I put her to bed and, quite honestly, didn't think much about it.
A few days later, she woke up around three in the morning, crying. When I went into her room, she said, "I towd the monstow to go home and eat cookies wif his mommy." She was still crying, but it was this hooray parenting moment where I witnessed a bit of empowerment in my tiny girl.
Unfortunately, she's still waking up for her random reasons....but I know this will pass, too.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
angel in disguise
Here's something good that happened today: an angel stopped by my house with her kids. After I laid on the couch for much of the morning, feeling & acting like a waste of humanity, the phone rang.Monday, September 10, 2007
food, glorious food!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
some chocolate favorites

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. white sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. milk
1 egg
1 T. vanilla
2 c. flour
2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350. Combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Dissolve the baking soda with milk and stir in. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and combine well. Add chocolate chips. Drop by spoonful onto greased baking sheet. Bake approx. 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.
Emily Bylund's French Hot Chocolate
3 (1 oz.) squares Bakers semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 c. water
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream vanilla to taste
Milk, heated
Stir chocolate and water over double boiler (low heat), stirring constantly. Once melted, add salt and sugar. Cook 5 more minutes on low. Allow to cool completely. In a glass mixing bowl, whip cream and vanilla. When chocolate is completely cooled, fold into whipped cream. Serve by the spoonful into steamed milk. FYI: I just heat the milk in the microwave or stovetop, then keep hot in a crockpot. Set out pretty mugs and allow guests to make their own..very low maintenance for a party. Serve with Pepperidge Farm Piroulines or mint Milanos. I also think it would be so good to try cinnamon or peppermint extract right in the chocolate cream.
Muddy Buddies
9 cups rice chex cereal
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ c. creamy peanut butter
1/4 c. margarine or butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ c. powdered sugar, divided
Put cereal in a large mixing bowl. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter. Microwave 1 ½ minutes or until mostly melted. Remove from heat and stir until chocolate lumps are melted and mixture is smooth. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal; coat well. Take two large ziplock bags and put 3/4 c. powdered sugar in each. Divide coated cereal between the two bags, seal and shake until evenly distributed. Family favorite!
Aunt Susan’s Perfect Chocolate Cake
2 c. flour
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
3 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. mayonnaise
1 1/3 c. water
In separate bowl, sift dry ingredients together. In mixer, combine wet, add dry. Grease and flour bottoms of two 9' round pans. Bake 30-35 minutes at 350. Must be smothered with Susan's famous chocolate frosting (below).
Aunt Susan’s Chocolate Frosting
1/4 cup butter (or ½ cube)
1/3 c. milk
3 T. cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
Bring to a boil, then add one tsp vanilla. Whisk until all lumps of chocolate are smooth. Add powdered sugar until desired consistency (about 2 ½ cups will do it).
Monday, September 3, 2007
the minivan's getting a bit full. . .

Friday, August 31, 2007
back to school
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
seven
Monday, August 13, 2007
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Tim's 33 Birthday!
Tim turned 33 this week, so here's a small slideshow I made. The kids and I put up a sign on a pedestrian bridge he commutes past every day. He loved it! I'm glad, because I happen to have a small fear of heights-especially narrow bridges-and had to muscle my way past the fear (Amy H.-you can appreciate this)! We just had a little family party that evening with his favorite birthday cake.
The next day was a fun date to Thanksgiving Point gardens (so impressive!!!!), followed by a fresh raspberry shake and fries from Iceberg. That afternoon I surprised Tim by sending him to golf with John. For those of you who know me, I am FAMOUS for wrecking my own secrets, but amazingly, I didn't give anything away this time!
It's so fun to spoil the love of my life!
P.S. Just a funny to share....after we put up the sign we drove down to the freeway to view our handiwork. Much to my dismay, I realized that I had done the 33 backwards! Nice, huh? Oh well, easily corrected.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
books in my basket
You've heard the phrase "lazy days of summer"? Well, lately I'm starting to think it's just not true for this little family. The visions of quiet afternoons curled up on the couch with a good book are just that: visions. I've developed a sorry, yet impressive pile of unfinished books by the side of my bed since the spring. . .and I love every single one of them! It's unfortunate what this reveals about me. I'm a great starter, pitiful finisher. Perhaps this is where I employ the "mother of four" justification? Take the Deathly Hallows, for example. My sister and I were lamenting that by the time we pick up the book to read each evening, we can hardly keep our eyes open for the duration of a chapter.Saturday, August 4, 2007
the girl loves feedback
Thursday, August 2, 2007
home improvement 2007
Friday, July 27, 2007
i'd give my firstborn for the recipe
In business since 1941, Mrs. Backer's is a Salt Lake City landmark. Each pastry is crafted with decadent amounts of glorious buttercream frosting and is a work of art in and of itself. In fact, it's the only store-bought frosting I've ever wanted to consume by the pound. Fortunately, their prices are ghastly enough to elicit some measure of self-control from me. Nevertheless, a fun splurge.
And I admit it. I actually hovered over my children as they inhaled their sugary delights, ready to salvage the bits of frosting they left behind. Imagine me, a grown woman, driven to this.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
thirsty, that's all
Monday, July 23, 2007
"the price we paid to become acquainted with god. . ."
My post today is dedicated to the faithful Mormon saints who crossed the plains and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.
" . . . Cold historic facts mean nothing here, for they give no proper interpretation of the questions involved. Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there, too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? Not one of that company ever apostatized of left the Church, because every one of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities."
"I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot in front of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it." [And a wife with a baby in her arms by his side]. "I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there."
"Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company." (excerpt from a story recounted by David O. McKay, “Pioneer Women,” The Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1948, 8).
I hope I'm living my own life in a manner equal to their sacrifices.
Sunday, July 22, 2007
horatio hornblower
Come on, you have to admit the name itself is intriguing! Tim and I spent the weekend watching the first three episodes of A&E's fabulous Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester, courtesy of our local library. LOVE THEM. My family has raved about these for the longest time and now we know why. You should try to get your hands on these...it's just fun to get into something great over the summer.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
cherub

Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
checklist
Below: with Jeff & Nat & kids at the overlook. We're standing in front of a wheel from one of the massive dump trucks that continuously runs the tiered circuit of the mine below. We laughed as we watched a Jeep Cherokee drive alongside one of these enormous trucks....it looked like a toy car!
The reason I decided to post about our trip to the mine is different than you might think. Yes, it is amazing, but even more so is my cute husband. For the last ten years he has dragged this family out the door to view as much of this world as we can possibly take in! Even as we made our way through the busy times of medical school and residency, if there were ever a few spare hours we'd be out the door exploring anything and everything. He is a lover of nature, beauty, and culture, and I wonder if his appetite for travel & learning will ever be satisfied!
Because of Tim, we have discovered as a family how much fun it is to get out and do things that hardly cost a thing. Do you realize what a gift that is to give to your children? He makes a list of places he wants to see and gets there, even when some of the venues are simply checklist items (as in, places you may not go more than once).
Our lives have been enriched because of his love for this wide, wide world.
Monday, July 16, 2007
this IS my happy face

little fishies
Thursday, July 12, 2007
what do you think?
So, we like having music on the blog? Or no?Leave a comment and let me know what you think. If you don't like it, tell me why. Maybe you like the music itself, but find it distracting? Did it blare on anyone's computer. . . waking a sleeping cherub? Let your voice be heard (in this little corner of the world, anyway).
Oh, and as long as I'm here, don't forget to check out the link to my princess parties (on the sidebar)! Thanks for everyone's suggestions on getting it up and running!
fun in an empty room
Yesterday I was walking past the front room and came across this little scene. All four kids, nestled in the little hut, giggling together.
Perhaps they're right about the furniture.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
David, by Gianlorenzo Bernini
Ok, just one more post today. A little something was nagging me, and I just realized what it was. I was just feeling like I needed to give David here his moment in the spotlight. This sculpture is part of the slideshow at the bottom of the page but I just wanted to say one or two things about it and why I included it.
You see, while Michelangelo's David (Galleria dell' Accademia, Florence) is recognized and loved the world over (methinks, anyway), Bernini's David is often resigned to art history second-chair, so to speak.
Standing at the foot of Michelangelo's David, Tim and I actually had a life-changing art history experience as we listened to an in-depth lecture on the sculpture's various elements. The praise is well-deserved.
But I love Bernini's David (Galleria Borghese, Rome) because it captures a different moment of his encounter with the giant Goliath. Whereas Michelangelo portrays David in a confident and faithful stance interpreted as immediately preceding the blow that felled Goliath, Bernini gives us the charged and fluid moment of the actual event. The spectator enters in at the precise instant that David has steeled himself and is drawing back to slay the daunting Goliath. Standing there in the Galleria Borghese I was filled with a sense of wonder.
From simple stone emerges the exquisite workings of the master sculptor Bernini; the fierce look of determination on David's face, the accurate musculature of his body, the details in the locks of his hair, and so forth. I also read somewhere about the fact that David's armor is strewn at his feet, implying that it is with God's power that this battle is won, not superior weaponry.
I am consistently awed by the accomplishments and innovations made by artists and musicians over the centuries, and our unprecedented access to all of it in the modern world. But one thing remains certain: the beauty that flows from any artist's fingertips is a gift from God.
a bit of chocolate heaven
My kids asked me for so many Otter Pops yesterday it wasn't even funny! Apparently the vacant expression on my face (and the gesture toward the water faucet) wasn't enough to deter them from asking me over and over again. . .does anyone know where I can find a good freezer lock?In the meantime, perhaps I will indulge the little rosy-cheeked (wait a minute, are they nearing dehydration?) darlings with whatever I can to keep them cool, including this tasty favorite recipe I got from a friend of mine. It's called Frozen Hot Chocolate.....a favorite around here!
The Recipe (thanks, Alison!):
Serves 1, modify to make a larger amount.
1 generous handful of ice cubes
1 serving of hot cocoa powder (hot chocolate mix, not the unsweetened baking cocoa)
Heavy whipping cream (or milk if you want to watch your calories....but what's the point of that?)
Dump ice cubes and cocoa powder in blender, adding as much heavy cream as you like to attain your desired consistency. Blend completely and pour into a cool mug. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or mint chocolate chips. This is the finishing touch that makes it look like a gourmet dessert.
Whipped cream:
1 c. heavy whipping cream
1 T. sugar
Blend until heavy peaks stand in the cream.
In the fall, watch for another favorite chocolate concoction: Emily's French Hot Chocolate. Fabulous.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
my little "wormaid", as she calls it
good read
I know, I know....just what everyone needs: another book recommendation. But this one has the ability to change your life, I promise. My sister gave me this book for my birthday and almost instantly I began to see life and people differently. The premise is a simple experiment to open your heart to others, when your habitual or natural response would be to harden it or close it off because of anger, judgement, selfishness, or impatience. Take a look!
Friday, July 6, 2007
hey, a girl can dream

Thursday, July 5, 2007
not one of my better days
Today's post has pretty much nothing to do with beauty or simplicity. Wait, I might be wrong about that. . . read on!I came across this picture of Adam from last year, suffering his way through salmon and couscous. I should explain that I rarely make my kids finish their plates clean and that they should just eat what they're hungry for.
But this little guy is unbelievably. . .shall we say selective, in the things he eats, so I often have to step in and make sure he's getting at least SOME nutrition. It gets pretty rough some days!
My sister recently returned to me a funny email that I had sent her a couple of years ago. It wasn't funny at the time, but I'm grateful she had saved it because I had completely forgotten the incident! It's not a motherhood moment I'm proud of, but I think what happened at the end was sweet. Enjoy.
From the email:
P.S. Here's the funny of the day if you've got a minute. Actually, it wasn't very funny at the time...I was so mad! This morning Adam wouldn't eat any breakfast before he had to go get on the bus (it was pancakes, for crying out loud!)
I told him that if didn't eat at least three bites he couldn't go out the door, and that if he missed his bus I WOULD NOT drive him to school and he would have to call his teacher and tell her why he wasn't there today. Oh my meltdown! He was a puddle in the middle of the kitchen floor, which, incidentally, is exactly what he left on my floor.
In the midst of his sobbing and look of absolute fear in his eyes at the thought of missing the bus, he kept saying to me, "Do you want me to gag? I'll GAAAAAGGGG if you make me eat it! I'll throw up if you make me eat it!" Rude mom that I am, I said, "Go ahead, throw up. But if you miss your bus you're staying home in bed." I warned him that he had about one minute before it pulled up, so he finally succumbed and shoveled the bites into his mouth. As promised, he started gagging, choking and crying simultaneously. And THEN, the little stinker threw everything up on the kitchen floor. I don't just mean the three bites in his mouth but the entire contents of his stomach which included a lovely combination of minced apples and curdled chocolate milk. He also got it all over his clean shirt.
At this point I hear the bus turn the corner and I completely lose patience with him, because I felt like he did it on purpose just to show me he meant business! I raced up to his room, grabbed a clean shirt, ripped off the dirty one, threw the new one over his head, and said, "GO!" As he stepped off the front porch still crying, I said, "Adam, I am SO mad at you! You are grounded when you get home!" Nice send-off, eh? I look over to my left and see my good friend and next door neighbor Laurie standing on her porch, smiling at me (luckily, she has two school-aged boys and a good sense of humor). I felt like such a bad mom!
Well, by the time he got out there, the bus had pulled away. Lucky for this little boy, the next stop is not too far away and the bus driver actually caught sight of him as he ran up toward it. So, he made it to school and I felt like the meanest mom in the world for sending him out the door like that. But, it was a good thing he made it, or he would have been the one carrying the soggy, dripping paper towels to the garbage can, not me! Don't worry-we're friends now, but I made him put away two baskets of laundry and stay inside the house for a while when he got home. Boy, where's Susan Tanner when you need her? PPS. My cute neighbor (the one who witnessed the trauma) brought over a carton of Oreo ice cream this afternoon just to be nice. I think she knew I needed a smile!
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
shameless advertising and self-promotion
Guess what, everyone? I'm starting a new little business! Ok, so it's probably not the announcement you've been waiting for, but I was excited to tell all of you!So here it is (and don't laugh!). . . I'm going to host princess parties for little girls! People will be able to invite me as a special guest visitor for birthdays, slumber parties, pretend tea parties, etc. This is an idea that's been growing for a while and I'm finally ready to get out there and have some fun (oh yeah, and the big reason: earn some extra money)!
And now the unabashed request for your support...I'd love it if you passed the word along to your friends and family here in the Salt Lake Valley. If you know anyone around here that might be interested you can direct them to my email: www.aprincessparty@hotmail.com for more information. I hope to get a website going in the future. Wish me luck and thanks for your support in this endeavor!
P.S. Nobody ever told me what a scary thing it is to start your own business.
Monday, July 2, 2007
if I could
Ok, everyone. This is a long one....but see what happens when I don't post for a while? Hang in there with me and I'll tell you about the fun little getaway we took to Las Vegas to see Celine Dion in concert!It was amazing.
Truth be told, I can't say much about the city itself, but the concert was beautiful and so was the time spent with that cute husband of mine.
This trip was to celebrate our tenth anniversary, but I think many of you know what an advocate I am for romantic overnight getaways, especially when you have kids! It's so healthy for a marriage and family. . . I always come home a better wife and mother than I was before. Maybe it's something about not seeing all those little faces clamoring for attention for a day or so that helps you to fall in love with the cuties again!
Oh, and did I mention the countless ways it strengthens your marriage? How fun it is to have all those precious, uninterrupted hours together! Don't get me wrong; spending time talking is one of our favorite parts of being married. But there's nothing like a nice, long car trip with your spouse to help you rediscover the art of good conversation and remembering how much you like each other. Love is a given in most relationships, but we spend a lot of time and energy around here making sure that we still like each other as the years go by. So we had a lot of fun driving through the desert and laughing together (ok, much to Tim's chagrin I should confess that I did a fair amount of napping & reading. It's just that you don't get too much time to do that when you're a mom)!
As a side note, one of my favorite moments of the trip was during the concert. Celine Dion sang a song from her album, Miracle, entitled "If I Could" and I just couldn't hold back the tears. I love the lyrics to this song. These words capture so much of what I feel as a parent, particularly when it comes to wanting to spare my kids from pain & sadness as they go through this life. I've often thought about how difficult it is to allow children the heartaches of a human existence.
I know that without the beautiful music it won't mean much to you to read them, but here they are:
if I could
I'd protect you from the sadness in your eyes
give you courage in a world of compromise
yes, I would
if I could
I would teach you all the things I've never learned
and I'd help you cross the bridges that I've burned
yes, I would
if I could
I would try to shield your innocence from time
but the part of life I gave you isn't mine
I've watched you grow
so I could let you go
if I could
I would help you make it through the hungry years
but I know that I could never cry your tears
but I would
if I could
yes, if I live
in a time and place where you don't want to be
you don't have to walk along this road with me
my yesterday won't have to be your way
if I knew
I would try to change the world I brought you to
and there isn't very much that I could do
but I would
if I could
oh baby...
I just want to protect you
and help my baby through the hungry years
'cause you're part of me
and if you ever ever ever need
I said a shoulder to cry on, or just someone to talk to
I'll be there... I'll be there
I didn't change your world
but I would
if I could
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
rose-colored world
Ok. I just love this sweet little girl. So here begins the favorite artwork segment of my expanding blog. I've been thinking about this particular post for several days, wondering if I was really prepared to go down this road. First of all, it's always difficult to choose favorites, but even more difficult to articulate why you love them. Maybe it's enough to say that art has blessed and enriched my life beyond measure! It's really true...and maybe you'll notice that I'm particularly drawn to impressionists, because it's a soft and lovely way they view the world. If only the imperfections of my own days could be blurred away as gently; the dirty kitchen floor, piling dishes, and squabbling children. . . all traded away for quiet scenes of domestic bliss! At the bottom of the page is a random selection of pieces I love. Enjoy.P.S. If you click on the slideshow and roll your mouse over a photo, a caption will appear. I will continue to add new pieces from time to time.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
I could never make a crust this perfect
This is one of the pictures from my computer desktop slideshow; a beautiful strawberry pie that my cute sister-in-law Julie made a couple of summers ago. Today I wanted to put it up because it always reminds me so much of living in upstate New York. I'm so grateful for the four years we got to live close to Jim & Julie and the many Sunday afternoons at their house. The adults would always talk & nap while the kids ran like yahoos! The strawberries remind me of all the times I was able to go berry picking; sometimes with Julie, sometimes with other moms. Great times eating blueberries, raspberries, strawberries straight from the fields or apples right out of the orchard! P.S.This is my FAVORITE strawberry pie recipe....the filling is made from fresh strawberries and the secret ingredient is powdered sugar on the crust. Perfection.The Recipe:
1 1/3 cup. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
2-3 T. COLD water
Preheat oven to 425. Cut shortening into flour and salt. Add just enough water to form a ball. Roll out to about 1/8" and place in 9" pie plate. Roll and pinch edges. Poke bottom and side with fork. Bake on middle rack for 10-15 minutes or until crust is barely light brown.
Filling:
1 1/2 C. pureed strawberries
1 C. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
Stir together and bring to boil over medium heat. Boil 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Sprinkle cooled pie crust generously with powdered sugar (this is key-don't skimp!) and fill with fresh whole strawberries. Pour filling over fresh strawberries. Chill before serving.















