Happy, Harried Haroldsen's

Catching Up; Halloween

2012-01-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

Halloween again at the Haroldsen home. Once again I completely over-reached on the costumes. I somehow forget that going on vacation for fall break drastically cuts down on available sewing time. It all came together, with more back-story than we have room for here. To my future self I say "Just buy the costumes next year. It will actually be less expensive in the end." Thankfully, every girl's dream came true.

Rapunzel

Medusa

The Blue Butterfly

Gracie was not too sure about Halloween. Luckily, she got into the spirit later that evening, and we hit a few houses. Gracie discovered the magic in the words "Trick or Treat."

For the Love of Books

2012-01-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

This year I want to be better at posting. I made this goal when our 2011 blog-book was woefully thin and not even close to comprehensive. There were so many great things missing. Plus...I enjoy posting, it forces me to look for the interesting bits in my seemingly mundane life.

I love to read, and I am always trying to instill that love into kids. Even Sarah has recently enjoyed reading more than she has in the past. I am posting some of our family's favorites. All of these books are the kind you love as a friend, not just an object. Enjoy!

Unbroken

by Laura Hillenbrand

This was a page turner! I can't usually say that about a non-fiction book. The story is amazing. Mark and I both REALLY liked this one and have given it as a gift more than once.

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The Hiding Place

by Corrie Ten Boom

Absolutely Mark's favorite book ever. Lizzie and I love it as well. There is no limit to the life lessons one can find in this book.

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A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry

One of my all-time favorites. My love of a book is based almost entirely on the characters. I love these people. I found myself thinking about them even after I was finished. Don't let the fact that this was an "Oprah Book" dissuade you from reading it.

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The Poisonwood Bible

by Barbara Kingsolver

Another of my all-time favorites. It's epic. It's brilliant. The characters are amazing. Each chapter is written from a different character's point-of-view. If I owned a copy I would read it again. Plus, I love Barbara Kingsolver.

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The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Compared to the previous two books, this is a light read. Again it's the characters, and they're British, set during World War II. A perfect recipe in my opinion.

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Harry Potter

by J.K. Rowling

No explanation necessary. One day I will own a leather-bound set, which I will read in a sunny book-nook while sipping herbal tea. And I will be completely content.

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The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak

This is Lizzie's very most favorite book ever, of all time. I love it too. If you haven't read it, you must. Period.

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The next three books could be considered great books for reluctant readers, because they are my very reluctant reader's favorites.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret

by Brian Selznick

A wonderful story with absolutely gorgeous illustrations that must be examined since they tell part of the story. Sarah LOVED this book. And because it is so thick (it rivals any Harry Potter book in thickness), she felt quite a sense of accomplishment when she finished.

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Holes

by Louis Sachar

Awesome. And Funny.
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Danny the Champion of the World

by Roald Dahl

This has been one of my favorites since I was about 10. I don't know how many times I read it as a kid, but it was in the double digits. We have read it aloud several times as a family, and Lizzie and Sarah have both read it themselves, at least once. It has become a favorite of each of us.

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The next three are picture books that we have recently discovered and fallen in love with. Pardon my dangling preposition.

The Kissing Hand

by Audrey Penn

A sweet story where a mother's kiss can get one through anything. A perfect bedtime story.

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Interrupting Chicken

by David Ezra Stein

Hilariously funny. So funny that Lizzie and Sarah joined us in Gracie's room for bedtime stories one night. We had to read it twice.

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What Are You So Grumpy About?

by Tom Lichtenheld

Laugh out loud funny. We have given this as a gift several times. If you are still grumpy after reading this book (you have to examine the pictures as well), then nothing will cheer you up.

Me, me, me

2011-12-29T13:04:00.001-07:00

My dear friend, Kerri, tagged me. Just like the old blogging days. I have to write 100 interesting things about myself, which may take me several months to compile. Here are 100 things. I'm not sure how interesting they are.

I like to cook. I didn't discover/admit this until three years ago. Let me qualify. I don't like to cook all the time, and I definitely go in phases. But cooking is enjoyable and even relaxing to me and sort of a creative outlet.
I love to eat good food. I have become a bit of a food snob.
I love sushi.
I love Indian food.
I am an Anglophile. I love all things British. I cannot wait to go to England.
I don't like most English food.
I wish I had a "thing." You know the thing you are good at that people think of when they think of you. Like sewing, photography, home improvement. I am sort of good at some things, but not good enough to have a thing.
I do not like making crafts. I have no trouble with crafters, but I have come to terms with the fact that it's just not for me, and that's okay. Thankfully I married a man who doesn't like crafty decorations.
I like camping. Not in a tent, mind you. But camping in a trailer has opened up camping for me. And for all you tent snobs out there,camping in a trailer is still camping.
I had my tonsils out twice, and I had chicken pox twice. These are just a few of the reasons my doctor calls me a freak of nature.
I am making great strides in caring less about what people think. It's been very liberating. I'm finding that the people who liked it when I cared what they thought are a little put-out with me, but I can live with that.
Chocolate does not agree with me; but that doesn't stop me from eating it more than I should.
I am a democrat in Utah. And yes, I'm a Mormon. And yes, I voted for President Obama.
But if you aren't a democrat we can still be friends, and we don't have to argue or convince each other.
I love to travel. I like the sense of adventure I get when I travel.
I have a mental bucket list. Most of the things on that list involve travel. It also includes weird stuff like seeing real fireflies and swinging on a rope swing (which I crossed off this summer).
Speaking of travel, I would love to visit all of the National Parks. Yes, I'm well aware this makes me a nerd.
I embrace my nerdiness.
I am extremely uncoordinated. This mattered a lot more when I was in high school.
I love being a mom most of the time.
I was a much better mom before I had kids. I've done everything I said I would never do.
Being a mom has taught me more about myself than all my years in school.
I love having all girls. I don't have any regrets about not having a son.
That being said, I don't like the color pink anymore. I tried to talk Hannah out of a pink coat this year.
I'm trying to develop more organizational HABITS. That way I won't keep organizing things only to have them fall apart soon after.
Housekeeping is not one of my strengths, but I have come a long, long, long way.
I hate laundry. Period.
I'm trying to overcome my hatred of laundry, but I'd settle for an intense dislike.
I am a bit obsessed with DIY cleaning solutions. I LOVE vinegar and baking soda for just about everything.
I used to think it was silly to put your dog in a sweater.
I just took my sweater-wearing dog for a walk.
I enjoy seeing the stars, which I do every night when I take my sweater-clad dog for a walk.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.
My favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner is the mashed potatoes.
I make great gravy and pie.
I want to better define my sense of style, but I'm not sure I have any sense of style at all.
I'm trying to decide if I want to grow out my natural hair color, but I'm afraid people will ask if I'm Hannah and Gracie's grandma.
As soon as I turned 40 my eyesight changed dramatically for the worse.
I'm trying to accept that I need bifocals.
If I get bifocals, I'll keep coloring my hair. I've got to ease myself in to all of this.
I love living in Heber. I love the smallness of it next to the largeness of the natural beauty that surrounds it. I also love the people.
I've noticed that I'm starting to sound like I'm from Heber, which I don't love. If I start to say crick I may have to move.
I love to read.
I love bookstores.
I love my Kindle, but I still miss the feeling of a book in my hands.
Two of my favorite books are Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre.
I enjoy singing; especially in a choir at Christmastime.
I'm a pretty good alto.
I'm afraid to say I love a calling at church because that's usually when I get released.
I have a calling in the Young Women, and I'm not ready to be released, so I won't say the "L" word, even though I do.
Since I started this post a few weeks ago, I was released from my calling.
I was called to be a gospel doctrine teacher.
If there was ever a calling I didn't want, it's gospel doctrine teacher. I'm working through it.
This past summer I memorized "The Living Christ." It was a life-changing experience for me.
I've almost completed my Personal Progress.
Working on Personal Progress has helped me get through this very hard year. It has given me some tools I have really needed.
I don't like people to tell me what to do. It makes me not want to do it, even if I was going to do it to begin with.
I've lived in my house for 10 years, which makes me itch for some changes, like getting rid of my sage green counter tops.
Sometimes I feel ungrateful when I want to change things.
I was all excited to paint my kitchen pistachio green, but then...the counter tops.
I love my house and my neighborhood, but I wish our lot was bigger and our house was about five feet deeper width-wise.
They are developing the field across from my house, which makes me sad. Then I think that's probably how some of my friends and neighbors felt when I built my house.
I enjoy writing, and some day I would like to write a book.
I'm a night person who recently found out how vitally important it is for me to have regular sleep. So I'm trying being a morning person. It's not working very well.
I need to be alone to charge my batteries.
I don't like PTA.
I do like helping in my kids' classes.
I love staying in my pj's. Sometimes I like it a little too much.
Being in large crowds is very hard for me.
I should say, being in large crowds where I have to interact with people is difficult for me. Even if I love the people in the large crowd.
I can be very selfish. Usually, when I'm feeling down, it's because I'm being selfish.
I play with my ears. I've done it all my life.
I don't know why I play with my ears.
I can be a bit obsessive. Sometimes I have to be careful what I take on, because it might not be healthy, like couponing.
I wish I was more obsessive about exercise. And housework.
I love going to the movies. Not ALL movies. But overall I love the escape of seeing a movie in the theater.
being on time is important to me. It makes me a little crazy when I'm late.
I love the sound of wind through aspen trees, which is why I have so many aspen trees in my backyard.
I love autumn. It fills all the empty spaces in my soul.
Southern Utah in autumn is magical to me.
I love having true friends.
I love long conversations with true friends. The kind that take on a sort of stream of consciousness quality, and everyone still follows the train of thought.
I love being married.
When I was younger I never thought I would get married.
This is because I hated dating.
When I met Mark, I was just looking for someone I enjoyed spending time with.
Seventeen years later, I still enjoy spending time with Mark.
Mark has made me a better person.
I love buying bins. If I used all my bins better, I would be more organized.
I have recently become a list person. I fought lists for years, because everyone always told me to make them (see #52). I accomplish a lot more when I make a list.
I don't know what I would do without prayer. I handle everything better when I pray.
I can do hard things. I just need to remind myself of this from time to time.
I am intelligent. Sometimes I forget this in my day-to-day life. But, I do have some game in the smarts department.
It drives me crazy when people-especially young girls-pretend to be dumb when they are really smart.
I love to be outside.
I love snow shoeing and tubing, which help me to be outside in the winter, which I don't love.
I love sunshine.
I am creative. I am happiest when I have an outlet for my creativity.
My favorite colors are green and purple. I like lots of other colors too.
It only took me six weeks to finish this list.

If you stuck it out through that whole list, you are amazing...and a true friend. I laugh at how long it took me to finish it. This post has forced me to think about who I am a little more. It's been a good challenge. So thanks, Kerri. You always help me feel a little better about myself. If you want to take the challenge, consider yourself tagged. If not, no biggie.

p.s. As I finish this, I am wearing my brand-new bifocals while making my next hair appointment. Life is weird.

Fall Break 2011

2011-11-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

(Warning: This is one monster travelogue. Seriously. )

We have a tradition of visiting Southern Utah every year during Fall Break. It is one of my favorite things we do all year. Autumn in Southern Utah soothes my soul. I like to breathe it in, and let the peace I feel soak into every space in my mind and body. Simply put, I love it.

I've never seen the Grand Canyon. When my family went when I was a kid, it was fogged in. It's a place I have always wanted to visit. And now that I am a National Park nerd, we had to go. Because of our time constraints, we decided on the North Rim. Because all the camping places at the North Rim close October 15, we ended up in Kanab, Utah, about 90 minutes away.

Kanab is a cute little town, known for all the Old Westerns that were filmed there. It's gorgeous, and had several campgrounds to choose from. Of these choices we ended up in the absolute worst campground possible. It was a cross between ghetto and "Deliverance." Let that percolate in your mind for a moment.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Fortunately, the campground was the only disappointment of the trip. We started off visiting the Coral Pink Sand Dunes, just outside of Kanab. You really can't go wrong with sand and kids and their parents. Super fun! I think if we do it again, we would look into some four-wheelers. So NOT Sierra Club, but those guys made it look like so much fun.

The Grand Canyon-North Rim

The next day got going early and headed for the Grand Canyon. Even the drive there was beautiful, and the scenery changed dramatically, along with the temperature which got downright chilly. Thankfully we were prepared.

So it turns out that there's a reason the Grand Canyon is one of the seven wonders of the world. No picture could do it justice, but it was fun trying with my new camera. Some of these shots were taken by Sarah, who is determined to use one of her photos if the Reflections contest with the theme "Diversity." If anyone can pull that off, Sarah can. There's a bunch, so just scroll down if you get bored.

We already have plans to return to the Grand Canyon when we have more time, Hannah and Gracie are a bit better hikers, and a time of year when we can stay right in the park.

Wire Pass Trail- Vermillion Cliffs

We spent our final day on a bit of an adventure. In looking at things to do around Kanab, I had come across this spot, which wasn't really on any map, but it got rave reviews. Honestly, I don't remember ever hearing about the Vermillion Cliffs before, but the hike was supposed to be spectacular and not too tough. Turns out the toughest part was getting there. It was farther that we thought and involved about 10 miles of rugged dirt road. But it didn't disappoint. This is another place we want to visit again with more time and better hiking abilities.

This bad boy was parked near us at the trailhead.

It's an RV! An RV on steroids.

This couple from England are driving it across the U.S.

and down into South America.

I stayed behind with Hannah and Gracie while those with longer legs did the more interesting part of the hike. I was a bit jealous, and I'm determined to go back. But we had fun. Hannah and Grace just love climbing around and playing in the dirt uninterrupted. Easy to please.

You can follow this slot canyon all the way back to what is called "The Wave." I'd love to get one of the rare permits and check it out. This trip I started creating my travel bucket list.

Odds & Ends

We also went to this lame little place with old movie sets. But the pictures turned out cute.

So, there is our Fall Break. It was wonderful to be together. I love watching my girls as they are learning to appreciate natural beauty. We had long talks about many subjects; some deeper than others. I love getting away as a family, taking a deep breath, and really enjoying each other.

What's up for next year? I don't know, but we're open to suggestions.

Catching Up: The Heber Century

2011-11-18T13:05:00.001-07:00

Back at the beginning of summer, Mark got a road bike and decided to ride the Heber Century with his brother Dave. It's not a ride for sissies. It goes around Heber and up past Coleville and back. One monster hill after another. I think he started out with a rigorous training schedule. But life happened, and he realized that training rides take several hours at a time. In the end, he went on several long rides (like to Kamas and back). On the day of the race, he hopped on his bike and rode the whole darn thing. Because he's tough like that. I was very impressed to see their smiling faces at the finish line.

Most of all, I was impressed that they were able to stand and smile at the same time.

Catching Up: Celebrating 12 Years of Sarah

2011-11-17T13:01:00.002-07:00

Sarah is twelve. I know...it's crazy! She is one of those kids who is "all in" all the time. Sarah has two speeds: 90 miles-an-hour and asleep. You may think I'm exaggerating a bit, but those who really know her can attest that I may even be understating it. That being said, Sarah is the spice in our life. Sometimes things get a little too hot, but most of the time life is more exciting when Sarah's around.

The thing I admire most about Sarah is that she is true to herself. She isn't motivated by what other people think or do. She knows who she is and what she likes and it isn't based on what is cool or popular. It's a quality that will take her far in this life.

Because it's her "off" year for a party, we checked her out of school and went to the lake for the last time of the season. We decided we really want a boat of our own someday. It was wonderful. The weather was perfect. We finished off with dinner from her favorite mediocre Mexican restaurant, Don Pedro's.

Sarah's gifts tell a lot about her:

A skateboard

A Red Rider BB Gun-

yes...I have totally betrayed my un-gun toting roots,

but she has promised not to shoot anything living, and it made her so happy.

So this is a picture of Sarah's favorite gifts:

her skateboard, her bb gun, and a Willow Tree figurine of a dancer

carefully hidden by my camera strap.

That eclectic assortment is Sarah in a nutshell.

And yes, the packaging does, in fact, say

"You'll shoot your eye out!" in legal terms.

She also got her own e-mail account-a 12-year-old rite of passage in our family.

There's my girl, all a glow, just like her personality.

Catching Up: Flaming Gorge

2011-11-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

Every year summer seems to race by before we get a chance to spend some time as just our little family. This year we carved out some time and made the reservations. In August we stole away and went camping at Flaming Gorge. It was recommended by a friend who shares my nerdy love of reading and visiting cool places in Utah. It was a great trip.

I don't think it is so much where we went that mattered, although Flaming Gorge is amazing. What mattered was that we desperately needed to completely get away from EVERYTHING, and this trip was absolutely away. Lizzie even talked Mark into leaving his cell phone home. That right there was a miraculous beginning.

We rented a boat for a day and spent the day fishing (Lizzie being the only successful fisher among us), cruising around, and eating. I also discovered that I still have some waterskiing skills. My kids were amazed; and since I don't come off as "cool" very often, I enjoyed every moment of their surprise.

Most of us went horseback riding with a guide named Wayne, who as far as any of us could see had only one tooth.

We visited the dam, and giggled all day at how many times we could say dam and not be swearing.

But the best part wasn't what we saw or what we did. It was what we didn't do. We didn't watch TV. We didn't play computer games. We made s'mores and played cards and read books and played. We talked to each other. Best of all we caught our breath. And that was the whole plan.

Catching Up: We Are Family

2011-11-02T13:38:00.000-06:00

Summer brought the chance to see family from near and far. Family reunions, birthday parties, holidays. It was a summer filled with family fun. I would love to say something amazingly thoughtful here, but its not coming and I don't want to wait until I'm feeling profound because it may never happen. I will say that this isn't even everything. I'm still waiting on some pictures of my brother and sister's visit. Anyway, you'll get the just of it.

Slip & Sliding for Payton's birthday.

Richards' Family Reunion

a.k.a. 24th of July Up the Canyon

a.k.a. when Lisa & Dave came to town.

Gracie and Nick's birthday with the Snider's

The Big Kids

Sleepover with Kate

Haroldsen-Baird Reunion

When the Machan's came to town...

Noah, Tanner, Hannah and Gracie.

Catching Up: Random Summer Fun

2011-11-02T12:31:00.000-06:00

Summer was full of late nights outside, sleeping in, some times doing a lot, and some times doing very little. It was just what a summer should be, and unlike past years, I was sad to see it end. Unfortunately, it involoved almost no blogging. But sometimes you've got to live life and let the posts fall where they may. Here are some of our highlights, in no particular order.

Seeing hot air balloons above our house never gets old.

Swimming at grandpa's was a favorite pass-time.

Water fun at home.

How many kids can you squeeze into a kiddie pool?

Even big kids need to cool off.

Never underestimate the fun of riding something down the driveway

and seeing how far down the street you can go.

Seriously...hours, perhaps days, of fun.

We live on a very "not" busy street.

Backyard buddies.

Seven Peaks with old friends. Those passes were worth every penny.

Picnic lunches, with many uninvited wasps.

This barely scratched the surface, but it was a glorious summer. I can hardly wait for next year.

Catching Up: In My Garden

2011-11-02T11:53:00.001-06:00

Anyone who lives in Heber knows how tricky it can be to not only plant a garden, but also be able to harvest something. I've been at this gardening thing for a few years now, and in some ways I have learned a lot. But, in other ways I still feel as clueless as ever. This year I was quite pleased with our little patch, which consists of 3 raised beds. And since it's my blog I'm going to toot my own horn a bit.

See those ripening-dare I even say-red tomatoes?
I never take these for granted.

Many years I don't get any ripe ones;
this year we had more than ever before.

Green peppers-note the plural. Seriously awesome.

The romas were a total bust, but the cucumbers and herbs rocked.

Beans...an education this year. I've always been successful with beans,

but using up old seeds and trying a new variety made for a dismal bean crop.

This should be called the success box, because it was just that. What's not to love about zucchini, squach, multiple peppers, lettuce, spinach, and tomatoes. Yep, box #3 did us proud.

You may ask,"What about the pathetic looking lawn around those boxes?" To which I reply, "You can't have it all. Don't judge, unless it makes you feel better, and then knock yourself out."

Catching Up: Look Who's Three

2011-09-10T11:59:00.000-06:00

In July Gracie turned three. She has become such a fun little girl. The perfect combination of easy-going, yet not a push-over. She lives up to her name in every way; an absolute blessing. Her birthday explains a lot about our cute, little imp.

She requested orange balloons (her favorite color).

She is quite an adventurous little eater.

Her birthday dinner was Curry Chicken.

She loves the movie "Despicable Me" so I made these cupcakes instead of a birthday cake. They are far from perfect, but she loved them. Some of her other favorites are Curious George and Dora.

Gracie is at that age that everything in wonderful.

It was especially fun for her to get her very own scooter.

She LOVES clothes and shoes. She loves to try them on and gets excited when she gets something new. So, you'll notice several wardrobe changes during the course of her party.

Sometimes it's just easier to strip down and wait for the next outfit to come along.

I wasn't exaggerating about the clothes.

A fairy with her Nonni.

A fairy dance number.

Blowing out her candles all by herself.

"All by myself" seems to be Gracie's mantra lately. While it makes me happy that she's independent, it's hard to watch my baby get older, and not need me so much. Some of the things I want to remember about Gracie at three are:

She gives THE BEST hugs and kisses, and she's very generous with them.
Gracie is very snuggly; by far the most snuggly of my kids.
She loves to take a bath.
Gracie enjoys music and dancing.
She has expanded her circle to include some cute little friends.
Gracie still loves dad the best.
She is a wonderful sleeper. This is why she still sleeps in her crib, even though she's way to big. She never climbs out, and she loves her snug little area. Why mess with that?
Gracie is happy most of the time. If she's not it usually means she's tired or hungry.
She has never met a dessert she didn't like. She has a real sweet tooth.
Gracie is a homebody. She would choose home over just about anywhere else.
She loves her glasses. It's been fun to watch her discover the world around her.

Happy Birthday, beautiful Gracie! Her birthday went on for a while, which I'll include in upcoming posts.

Catching Up: Happily Ever After

2011-09-04T08:16:00.001-06:00

I had the opportunity to go to Girls' Camp again this year. We went to the Heber Valley Girls Camp again, which is a great way to camp. I love a place with a pebbled ice machine. The camp is so beautiful. The last couple of years at camp I have realized how much I enjoy being in nature, and that I can be in nature without pitching a tent and digging a latrine. In other words, I am just not a tent camper.

The theme was "Happily Ever After", based on this talk by Elder Uchtdorf. I know you are not supposed to have favorites, but I could listen to him talk all day long, and this talk is one that every girl should hear. The girls really identified with Elder Uchtdorf's talk and it was an amazing experience to watch them each internalize different aspects of this message.

Camp was such a spiritual experience for me. The first couple of days I ended up manning the challenge course. It wasn't supposed to be that way, but I learned so much. I was assigned to a station that really required the girls to work together. As I watched them come through I noticed so many parallels to life. It reminded me of the importance of balance in my life; which is something I am continually working on. I realized that's how it should be. Balance is a constant process, not a one-time accomplishment.

I also accepted the stake's challenge to memorize "The Living Christ" before camp. It was really hard, but life changing. My love for the Savior and my understanding and testimony grew stronger. I want to keep it in my memory so I don't lose those feelings.

I can say I truly love the leaders and the girls. They are beautiful, talented, brave and strong women. They are constantly teaching me more about myself and who I want to be. I watches them do things they never thought they could do. I hope the remember that they can do hard things, because they are going to face some tough challenges in life. But they have the strength to overcome anything if they will remember who they are.

I couldn't choose from the MANY pictures. So here they all are. You can check them out or not.

Girls Camp 2011

Catching Up: Swimmy Swimmy

2011-09-03T17:01:00.000-06:00

Every now and then I post something just to prove to future generations that my kids did, in fact, get to do fun things, despite of any claims they may make. This is one of those posts.

Hannah took a week of swimming lessons this summer. She loved it until about Thursday, when it was severely cutting into whatever plans her four-year-old brain had cooked up. She did shine as a swimmer though.

Grace, on the other hand, hated every minute of swim lessons because Hannah was doing it without her. So Grace was stuck with mom, up in the bleachers, in the hot, sweaty, cave of a community pool that is the only choice in Heber. But hey, come check out our new rodeo grounds! Because that's something more people will use than a swimming pool. (Are you sensing the sarcasm and pent up anger?) The cave aspect is the reason for the fantastic quality of the above picture.

But I digress. Hannah Jane Haroldsen, here is proof that you took swimming lessons when you were 4.

Catching Up: Gunner

2011-09-02T16:43:00.002-06:00

Many of you may heard me say I would never get another dog after Holly. What can I say? Anytime I say "never" it pretty much guarantees that thing will happen to me. I would say I will never say never, but I'm not quite sure if that will work.

Gunner needed a home and he won us over with his size, charm, charisma, and mad fetching skills. It didn't hurt that the other dog tried to take a piece out of Hannah.

Gunner spends about 12 hours a day chewing on this orange ball.

Gunner is the perfect buddy for Sarah because they have about the same amount of energy.
He has also turned out to be quite an adventure.
Stay tuned...

Catching Up: Mount Sarah

2011-09-01T15:37:00.003-06:00

Every year, before school gets out, I talk a great game of how I'm going to keep my children (read as Sarah) busy intellectually all summer long. It hardly ever even happens, but this year we at least did a few things.

This is our little science experiment of a backyard volcano. It was pretty cool. And Sarah was totally in charge and did it for herself. I was only commissioned to photograph the natural disaster for posterity.

P.S.We also did a little math.

Catching Up: Lizzie Goes to Washington

2011-08-31T15:31:00.001-06:00

I'm attempting to catch up after my summer of absolutely NO blogging. I was a slacker, and I'm not even apologizing. Here's Summer Catch-up #1. You can read Lizzie's account of her trip here.

The Sunday after school ended, Lizzie hopped a plane and headed for Washington D.C. with her history teacher and a few other students (insert mother green with envy here). It was her first real trip away from mom & dad, and she loved every minute of it; well, except for the hot stickiness of a D.C. heat wave. She saw so many sights, it's a wonder her feet didn't fall off. The only disappointment was getting bumped from the White House tour because of some unimportant person, okay it was the German Chancellor. The nerve!

Here are some of the pictures Lizzie took on her trip. And yes, that is my daughter being sworn in as president.

This free collage customized with Smilebox

I love that her favorite thing she saw was the FDR Memorial. I love that she would even want to go on a trip like this. And I love that she loved it.

U2

2011-06-03T11:59:00.002-06:00

I'm not sure this makes sense, but I still FEEL like I'm in my twenties. Then I look in the mirror and reality sets in, not a bad thing. It just does. Once in a while I get to do something to embrace my inner, younger self.

One of the bands I have always wanted to see is U2. I love their music. I have loved them since I was a tween. Back when I had a stereo with a turn-table. Yes, I was alive in the age of vinyl. So imagine my excitement when Mark called to tell me he just got some sweet seats for the concert. Very cool.

All week on the news there were reports about U2's longevity. Stories about how the band has been around for 30 years. Reality check. That's how long I've been a fan. It's weird to be able to say "30 years ago" about anything, but it's happening more and more often.

When Mark's dad heard we were going, he called because he was going too. He had no idea who or what U2 was, but someone who was trying to schmooze him gave him tickets. He then asked if I would like to meet Bono. He is always teasing me, so I said,"You're so full of it." To which he said,"No, I'm serious." Well that ramped up the excitement level even more, but my wiser self told me to be prepared that it might not happen.

Concert day came, and the rain clouds cleared just before the concert. We waited for the schmoozer and the other schmooz-ees, so we could head backstage. I must say, I could get used to hanging with big rollers. We got dinner, free U2 shirts, key chains, hats, programs, and a cozy blanket to sit on. People trying to sell partnerships in private jets can really show a girl a good time. I know, I know...Mark and I were seriously out of our league.

When the time came for Bono to come in, they gave us a little speech about not rushing the poor guy, that he would work his way through the room. So when he came into the room what do you think happened? Most people rushed the poor guy, while the rest of us followed directions. He was very kind and gracious. But pretty soon his handler was telling him they just had a few more minutes, and the Bono hogs were not gonna move. I decided that being nice was not going to work. I started weaseling my way up the side of the crowd, I was ready to throw some elbows, but it didn't come down to that. I found myself right next to him and asked if I could get my picture with him. He said of course. Mark, who was no longer embarrassed by my aggressive behavior, rushed up saying,"That's my wife up there!" Bono made a little small talk, and we got our picture taken with a very nice and VERY short rock super-star. I was completely star-struck.

We headed out for the concert, and realized just how sweet our tickets were. The show was amazing. They sang ALL of the old favorites, and I was more than happy to sing along. Okay, I was totally belting it out, but it was so loud, no one could hear me. We stayed through the very last encore, and got back to Heber after 1:00 AM. Way past our bedtime.

It was a great evening, and I finally understood the saying "You're only as old as you feel." I felt young and even a little bit cool.

Just Something Cute

2011-05-29T10:14:00.000-06:00

The other day, Hannah and Gracie were playing with the doctor kit. Since we've seen the doctor quite a bit this past winter they are pros. Gracie said,"I'm Dr. Berg (our family dr.). Hannah replied,"I'm Dr. Covenants."

So something is sinking in.

Q & A

2011-05-17T12:23:00.000-06:00

I interrupt the Spring Break posts to bring you the following:

Gracie got her glasses today, and I have just one question:

Could she get any cuter?

The answer is no.

Disneyland

2011-05-16T10:20:00.000-06:00

This year we decided to go to Disneyland for spring break. Were we insane? Yes. But when you have a kid in middle-school, you have to go when there's a school break because the catch-up work for the poor kid just isn't worth it.

Let me say that I am not one of those parents who begrudgingly takes her kids to Disneyland. I love the place, and in the days leading up to the trip I was definitely the one who was most excited.

In spite of the monster crowds, we had a great time. The pictures are few, but the memories are many. So here are everyone's highlights of the Magic Kingdom:

Gracie love, love, LOVED Dumbo. She also loved It's a Small World, the Tea Cups and the Tiki Room. And, she couldn't be part of the family unless she loved Pirates, which she did. Whew! She hated the Carousel, and any "inside" ride, which she said were not "happy." Now that we know she needs glasses, she might have had a totally different experience. We like to call her the "Disneyland Purist", none of those new fangled rides for this girl. One of my favorite Gracie moments was when she saw Winnie the Pooh. Pure magic.
Hannah loved Buzz Lightyear, It's a Small World, Pirates and Autopia, although she really liked everything. and was a good sport about waiting in lines. I think Hannah was the perfect age for Disneyland. She also loved seeing Woody and Jessie, Pooh and Tigger, and the fireworks.
Sarah begrudgingly had a good time. She couldn't enjoy anything without a bit of complaining first. Her highlights were Indiana Jones, The Matterhorn and Pirates. It turns out that Sarah isn't much of a roller coaster fan-which surprised me. She loved taking Hannah and Gracie on any ride they wanted, which was a socially acceptable way for her to enjoy the "little kid" rides.
Lizzie's highlights were California Screamin', Pirates, the teacups, but like Hannah, Lizzie enjoyed everything. When we first told the kids we were going to Disneyland, she said,"I get to take Hannah on Dumbo!" She loved taking her sisters on rides. One day we turned Lizzie and Sarah loose for a couple of hours, so they wouldn't be stuck in Fantasyland the whole trip. When they came back they both said it was boring, and they wanted to stay together as a family for the rest of the trip. Lizzie had also decided she want to be part of the cast in the Star Wars show.
My highlights were being outside in the sunshine, watching Hannah and Gracie's reaction to everything, the fireworks and the fact that Gracie liked me better than Mark. She was my super-glue buddy. Ride-wise, my favorites were California Screamin', Pirates, and Buzz Lightyear. I truly liked all the rides except for Winnie the Pooh which felt like someone's bad acid trip. I also loved the fact that Hannah and Gracie were newbies, so they weren't aware you could wait in a two-hour line to see all the princesses, so we didn't. My only disappointment was there weren't any parades-go figure.
Mark's hightlights were pretty similar to mine. He liked being outside together, watching Hannah and Gracie, and the fact that Hannah preferred him to me. A total switcheroo. He liked California Screamin' and Pirates the best. Mark is a Disneyland lover like me, so he made everything more fun, like when he raised the daily treat limit to "two or three" winning cool dad points from everyone including me.

So, as you can see, Disneyland got twelve thumbs-up from the Haroldsen clan.

Old MacHaroldsen

2011-05-10T10:03:00.000-06:00

This is a story of 2 chickens that turned out to be roosters, a bunch of Boy Scouts, a night of little sleep, two somewhat inept animal control guys, several neighbors and Sarah's mad chicken-catching skills. It could have been an episode of Modern Family-which could actually be said for most of my life.

As a brief explanation, people are allowed to have chickens in their yard in Heber, but they are not allowed to have roosters. Unfortunately, you can't tell a chicken from a rooster until they are grown. My theory? Someone just let these suckers go.

What did I learn from this experience?

Chickens and roosters look very similar in the dark.
Never underestimate the entertainment value of teen-age boys chasing chickens. It is great fun for the boys and for those watching.
If you are late for a meeting, don't tell your daughter,"Just stick them in the backyard. We'll figure out who they belong to tomorrow."
Roosters do not crow just once for the day. They crow ALL DAY LONG starting at about 5:00 am.
I have very understanding neighbors, with great senses of humor.
More of my neighbors own chickens than I thought.
Animal Control officers do not necessarily have the skills or common sense to capture poultry. I know this because after carefully corralling the birds in my back yard, the animal control officers left the gate open when they came to get them.
Roosters are super fast when running down the street; much faster than animal control officers running after them.
After eluding capture for several hours, roosters come back to where they started.
Roosters can fly, and can sit for quite some time on a roof, just out of reach.
An escaped cow takes precedence over rogue roosters in Heber.
A net the size of a pool skimmer will not capture a rooster on a roof- even if you are from animal control and insist it will work. The kids watching could have totally clued him in on this.
It takes finesse, not brute force to corner and capture the final rooster. Sarah schooled the professionals on this one, and may receive calls to assist in the future.
Once captured, roosters go to a "farm to run with other roosters." At least that's the official story. I'm pretty sure someone had a tasty dinner that night.

So there you have it. You just can't make this stuff up.

Must Run in the Family

2011-03-21T12:18:00.000-06:00

It is common knowledge that Sarah was a professional "hair cutter" before she started kindergarten. She cut her hair eight times when she was four and five. Some of the cuts were so extreme that some people wondered if she had some sort of cancer.

Fast forward six years. Hannah seems to be following in her big sister's footsteps.

Front View

You're probably thinking,"What is the big deal?"

Side View

Now you see what I'm talking about. Right?

Did she use the weed wacker?

Honestly!

Some people, including my husband, said,

"Just leave it. People will just know she cut her own hair."

Personally, I just couldn't live with the mullet.

I got enough of that in high school.

So, the next day, we headed to whatever salon could fit her in.

The New Look

Front View

Rear View

Other than the near bald spot,

it looks pretty good.

Hannah didn't stop with herself,

Gracie was also fortunate enough to get a little off the top, literally.

Lucky for Grace, curly hair is much more forgiving.

Here she is hiding her shame.

What are the chances I would get two hair cutting preschoolers, in a row?

Obviously pretty good.

Too Little

2011-03-02T12:05:00.002-07:00

It's so hard when a girl is too little to go to preschool or gymnastics.

Especially when her partner in crime is going without her.

Even if she gets her coat on, has the saddest face ever

(complete with crocodile tears), and sobs at the door,

she still doesn't get to go

After such a let down a girl needs a few minutes alone to compose herself.

Under the table seemed the most convenient place on this particular day.

Being too little just stinks.

3/4 of The Way

2011-02-20T09:42:00.003-07:00

As you may remember, I am not a fan of February. This year, I am pleased to report, I've made it 3/4 of the way through the dreaded month without any major nuttiness.

What helped me have a better month this year? I have really tried to follow my new mantra and enjoy the process, especially finding the joy in day-to-day life. I have also tried to embrace myself warts and all, instead of trying to be what other people think I should be. It has made all the difference.

Have I been 100% successful? No way. But just trying has made for a much more pleasant month.

And that is HUGE.

Pleasant Surprises

2011-02-13T22:48:00.002-07:00

On Friday, I took Sarah and her friend to opening night of this movie:

Say what you will about Justin Bieber, because believe me, I've said it too. But...I actually liked the show. Really. He seems like a nice, talented kid. The movie was well done, I grooved on the 3-D effects, and I got some sweet glasses. I even found my toes tapping. I decided that there are certainly worse people for Sarah get excited about. And since he hasn't gone all Britney Spears yet, I'm toning down my JB rhetoric. Plus, Sarah and her friend actually wanted me to sit by them instead of in the back.

An Aside:

As I watched Sarah's excitement, I went back in time to the '80s when I was gaga for this guy:

And when I say gaga I mean absolutely and completely obsessed.

Not an exaggeration.

On Saturday, Lizzie, Sarah and I took my mom to Ballet West's production of The Sleeping Beauty for my mom's 70th birthday. It was spectacular. It was breath taking. It was beautiful. It was definitely worth sitting 2 1/2 hours in the horribly uncomfortable seats of the Capitol Theater. It was THAT good.

It was even more fun because a certain daughter of mine may or may not have a solo in an upcoming production of maybe this very ballet. I am sworn to secrecy due to a strange rivalry with another local dance studio. Don't ask.

Did I like the ballet more than the movie? Yes. Did Sarah like the movie more than the ballet? Absolutely. But surprisingly, we both liked both. Lizzie loved the ballet and may have expressed some desire to see a certain movie. SHHHHH! Don't tell.

I do love my girls to have varied interests.

Never Say Never

2011-02-02T10:47:00.000-07:00

Something amazing happened this week. Sarah voluntarily started piano lessons! She had been tinkering around on the piano for a few weeks, so I casually offered piano lessons, and then pretended not to care. After teaching herself a couple of songs, she asked for the lessons. I tried not to act excited, which might make her re-think her decision. But I quickly called Lizzie's piano teacher, who agreed to take on Sarah even though she wasn't taking new students.

Well, she came home from her first lesson and promptly practiced and did all of her assigned theory. She has even begun composing a song. It's fun to see her so excited. And even though I know her enthusiasm probably won't last, I'll enjoy it for now and pretend I'm not thrilled about her new undertaking.

The Chronicles of Influenza

2011-01-27T07:26:00.001-07:00

Hannah has been very sick. I'm talking Influenza sick. I'm talking it's quite possible this has been the sickest kid I have ever had...and that is saying a lot. For whatever reason, I ended up taking a picture most days. Call it temporary insanity or cabin fever. It was probably due to extensive Dora the Explorer exposure, because I was seriously plotting Dora's demise. I think I came up with the perfect plan.

DAY 2

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

We were able to sit her up just long enough for a quick pedicure.

MORNING DAY 6

AFTERNOON DAY 6

With all these days of vomiting and a fever over 102, her little body just went limp, and she started throwing up blood. The doctor got us right in and did chest x-rays, blood work and a shot. Not a fun day. After ruling out cancer and meningitis, we got the diagnosis of influenza. So glad we got those *%@# flu shots.

DAY 7

The fever finally broke and she kept a little food down.

and she was able to go vertical for a few minutes.

DAY 8

She's dressed! But entirely exhausted.

DAY 9

No picture, but more throwing up and more blood. Definitely a set-back.

DAY 10

DAY 11

My pale, pale girl is dressed AND playing AND smiling.

Maybe we're near the end?

DAY 12 & 13

More gradual improvement, and she's actually hungry. I'm giving her anything she wants to eat since she lost almost 5 pounds during this whole thing. It's sad that her leggings and skinny jeans are now baggy. She's is still exhausted and weak, and I think we'll be staying in for the rest of the week, so she doesn't catch something else. Because if that happens, Dora is in serious danger.

She's Got the Look

2011-01-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Gracie has her own sense of style. She loves clothes and accessories. At Christmas, when Grandma presented her with a pink fur vest and hot pink velour pants, she immediately stripped down (in the middle of the living room) and put them on. The wings were a gift from Aunt Coco, and she wears them constantly. I'm always impressed with the ensembles she comes up with. I'm also impressed that she can walk in high heels with her sleeper still on!

Cousinpalooza!

2011-01-13T13:44:00.003-07:00

When I was growing up we used to get together with my cousins once a month. Now that we're all grown up and living in far-flung places, we rarely get the chance to see each other. During the week between Christmas and New Years, my cousin, Christian, and his family came to Salt Lake from San Diego. His girls really wanted to see some snow. We got the chance to spend a day together with "the cousins," which came to be known as Cousinpalooza. First we went tubing at Soldier Hollow with some of my cousins and their kids.

San Diego Sophie loved making snow angels.

My cousin Heather came down from Logan for the festivities.

The crazy cousins from my branch of the family tree.

That night we ditched the kids and all went out for sushi.

This is a really bad picture, but it isn't often we get this many of us in the same room.

Really, it's been years.

Mark and I discovered we do like sushi, we just needed a quick

"Sushi for Dummies" tutorial from Nicole and Doug.

It was so much fun to have the opportunity to enjoy a meal and catch up on what everyone was doing. We were missing a few (shout out to Malia, Mike, Lisa, and Dave). I really hope it isn't years before we do this again.

A Very Random Christmas Post

2011-01-12T13:42:00.001-07:00

I call this random because I really took very few pictures of Christmas itself. It was a holiday, and I just didn't feel like it. It isn't that Christmas wasn't great, I was just enjoying myself. We had lots of fun during the whole school break, so I'll let that make up for things.

It is becoming a fun tradition to go tubing with Dave, Nicky, and Cammy on Christmas Eve. After much hiking and very little sliding last year, we opted for the luxury of tubing at Soldier Hollow, where very little effort is required.

The most exciting gift for all of us was Sarah's new pet, a guinea pig named Hershey. It was quite a feat to keep him a secret. We had to lie our heads off to get us out of some sticky situations. But it was so much fun to watch her face. It was even more fun to watch Hershey instantly bond with Sarah and no one else. Even I think he is very cute, although I still have never held him.

The puppet theater is a hit.

Gracie loves her very own Little People house that she doesn't have to share. She plays with it for hours.

I constantly found the Nativity set up like this. Gracie wanted to be sure everyone had a good view of Baby Jesus.

We got the chance to take Lizzie and Sarah to their first Jazz game. We were in a suite which was really fun. This was taken right before we accidentally knocked a can of soda over the edge. Luckily, no permanent damage was done.

Most of us got to take turns sitting on the floor for a quarter, which may have raised my girls' expectations for all Jazz games. Sarah loved the Bear, the Jazz dancers (yikes) , and how tall the players are.

Lizzie and Dave took their turn. Lizzie had the opportunity to be sat upon by Andre Miller. It was a wee bit sweaty.

This was our recycling pile after Christmas. It is one of the results of a completely Amazon Christmas.

Mark and the girls took a ski day. Lizzie is wearing her Christmas. She is completely outfitted for the slopes.

We got absolutely slammed with snow. On this particular day we got 26 inches in about 18 hours. Luckily Mark was home to plow 4 times because his "big boy" snow blower is too much machine for me. I love that he is wearing his ski goggles, because at a certain point you just do what it takes and throw fashion out the window.

I got to spend a day with some of my cousins and their kids. It will need to be a post in itself.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday was celebrating Christmas with my family on New Years Day because my brother-in-law was working in Wyoming over Christmas. It was such a nice way to celebrate. The hustle and bustle were over, and we could just settle in and really enjoy each others company.

It was a wonderful holiday with the perfect mix of fun and relaxation.

I Have a Mantra!

2011-01-07T14:52:00.001-07:00

I still have the rest of 2010 to post, namely Christmas, but I wanted to get this down so I can start living by it. I really like this quote and decided to make it my mantra for 2011.

"A house does not have to be perfect to be a home of joy. A child does not have to behave perfectly to love and be loved. And every moment of life does not have to be perfect to be of value. Too often, I realize, we fail to see the glorious reality of the simple joy that abounds in the seemingly mundane routine of day-to-day living. Instead, we tend to idolize the past, idealize the future, and devalue the present. What better way to show our appreciation to Heavenly Father for what we have than to embrace our lives, albeit 'ordinary' and 'unexciting', with joy?"

Winnie Dalley; Ensign March 1998

There you have it. I could expound on these ideas all day, and I probably will throughout the year. But for right now, I'm just soaking it in.

The "Repair" Cut

2011-01-04T09:21:00.000-07:00

Question: What happens when you leave a four-year-old unsupervised while you wrap gifts and someone-who-shall-not-be named (because it was probably me) leaves out a pair of scissors?

Answer: A self-haircut and a pajama top cut to shreds; and just two days before Christmas.

I didn't take any pictures of the initial cut because I was trying to find someone to fix it. Luckily we did, and she was a miracle worker. Seriously, I'm not exaggerating about the miracle part. Thanks to Tasha at Chrysalis Salon for squeezing us in and working some magic.

Here is the finished product: Notice ALL of the new bangs along with a brand new bob.

It's a good thing she's so cute!

Snow Bunnies

2011-01-03T16:33:00.001-07:00

We finally got some substantial snow in the days before Christmas. And then it snowed and snowed and snowed. If you live in Heber, your kids had better enjoy the snow. Otherwise, winter could seem even longer than it already is. Almost everyone was excited for the white stuff. You'll discover who wasn't soon enough.

I love that Lizzie still enjoys some snow fun.

Sarah worked on this igloo day AND night.

One evening I came home around 8:00 and she was still out there

working by the glow of the Christmas lights.

My two biggest snow bunnies.

The "Picasso" snow man.

This is the only snow picture with Gracie smiling.

In all the rest she looks like this

(probably due to the fact that she won't leave her gloves on)...

or like this. You guessed it; Gracie is not a lover of snow...YET.

But I am determined that she will become one.

On the other hand, this girl would live outside in her igloo of I let her.

And there were several times during Christmas break

that I seriously considered it.

Note: These pictures were taken before the "Big Dump of 2010" when we got 26 inches in 24 hours.

Hannah Banana

2010-12-29T16:11:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, a week before Christmas, our miracle, known as Hannah, arrived. We had waited so long for her that we didn't even care that she came so close to Christmas. In fact, she was an amazing Christmas gift.

Flash forward four years and this is my favorite four-year-old. It snowed a lot on her birthday, and she was so excited to play in it...FINALLY.

She requested sweet and sour meatballs for her birthday dinner. She had yellow cake-another request- at Grandma and Grandpa's house and pumpkin bars at our house. All together she had three parties, so she wasn't deprived by her December birthday AT ALL. She got Jessie and Bullseye and an easel, which was supposed to curtail her wall art. That didn't happen, but now she has some new materials to use.

Here are some things I want to remember about Hannah at age four:

I love that she doesn't say her v's very well. Instead she substitutes the b sound. I will really miss when she doesn't say "I lub you" anymore.
She is an outside girl. She loves anything outside, which can make winter a bit tedious for her.
She is very animated when she talks, and she talks with her hands. Her face is also very expressive. She has a bright smile and some killer "angry eyes."
Hannah is a very picky eater. If it weren't for yogurt, she would have starved to death by now. She doesn't even like dessert, only pumpkin bars, ice cream, and the frosting from her yellow birthday cake.
She still loves Dora, but she's not as exclusive as she used to be. She also loves Toy Story 3.
Her best buddies right now, other than Gracie, are Jake and Scott. They really look out for her. Sometimes Jake even gives her a kiss on the cheek to say goodbye.
Hannah loves puzzles and will do the same one over and over and over and over and over again.
She loves reading books; especially Franklin books.
Hannah sleeps in our bed a lot, which I don't like. I DO like when she softly rubs my cheeks while she is laying next to me or more often, right on top of me.
She and Gracie are inseparable. It's hard for either one of them to be without the other. They are known as Frick and Frack-or Mischief and Mayhem.
Hannah is very appreciative. She is very good at saying thank you.
She has a great belly laugh.
Hannah says beautiful prayers.

Happy birthday, miracle girl! I LUB YOU!

Wired

2010-12-23T16:54:00.000-07:00

It is a school tradition for the 5th graders in our school district to make Christmas houses and then wire them with electric lights. Sounds so cute and exciting right? And we had big plans to start early and give ourselves plenty of time. Then a 4-day stomach bug hit, and we had to abandon our best-laid plans and just get the sucker done in one night. After using all my persuasive talents and a $10 bribe, Sarah gave in to using a gingerbread house kit from the store. It was a huge concession for her.

Mark stepped in at about 9:30 when Sarah and her other parent helper were ready to kill each other.

And STILL not finished!

The inner workings: lights, battery, switch and all.

Done by Sarah herself I must add.

The finished product-those little lights are shining away!

Two Ladies Dancing

2010-12-18T12:17:00.000-07:00

One of our holiday traditions is to spend the two weeks after Thanksgiving dancing as much as humanly possible. There are rehearsals. There are the Festival of Trees and Swiss Christmas. Then there are even more rehearsals and then The Nutcracker. In the two weeks after Thanksgiving, Lizzie had three days that she didn't dance for hours. It really is insane, and I think so every year.

And then I see them perform, and somehow becomes totally worth it. They were beautiful and funky (that's for you, Sar). They both love to perform, which is some rogue gene they got from someone other than myself. In fact, one afternoon Sarah asked where she was performing that night. When I said she had the night off she was disappointed. "I just love performing, Mom." she said. And I love that she loves it.

Lizzie started ballroom this year. I thought, if she can just learn to walk in those 2-inch heels, it will be worth it. Well, as you can see, she can do much more than walk in them. She glided all over the stage.

Sarah loved her hip-hop number. That's my little peace lover on the left.

In the Nutcracker, Lizzie was a snowflake. That dance was eight minutes long, and she kept that smile the whole time.

Here's my Russian Dancer in what came to be called...the devil boots.

Lizzie and Lauren have been dancing together since the first grade, and they are often in the same dances.

Look at those smiling faces. This was after it was all over, so they are especially happy.

This is their studio director and dance teacher, Jenny. She works really hard and does a great job.

You have to admit, my pictures are getting better, as in less blurry. Now, on to the rest of the holiday season!

Neighborhood Preschool

2010-12-14T08:02:00.000-07:00

Every six weeks we get to have preschool at our house. I'm always a little intimidated as my turn rolls around. Keeping seven three and four-year-olds busy for 2 hours twice a week always seems a little daunting. But once they get here, we have so much fun. I am amazed in the changes I have seen since September. My favorite preschool moment has to be all seven of them (eight including Gracie) telling knock-knock jokes. It was hilarious-especially because most of the punch lines involved underwear or poopy diapers.

This particular week we pulled out the smocks and did some water colors,

since the theme was water. Not particularly clever, but they had fun.

Our neighborhood preschool has turned out great.

But I have to admit my favorite part about it

is when it's at someone else's house.

Giving Thanks

2010-12-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

This year we had my family up for Thanksgiving. It was very low-key and wonderful. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because you get that warm cozy feeling without all the hustle and bustle.

One of the things for which I am most thankful this year is my sister, Nicole and her family moving back to Salt Lake after moving around for a few years. I missed her so much.

My girls, especially Lizzie and Sarah are so happy to have their cousins back. Sarah, who had been desperately wanting a brother, decided that Mike and Nick will do quite nicely in that area.

My mom and dad.

One of my Thanksgiving highlights was watching Gracie enjoying pie.

Here she is working on a slice of Jumbleberry, with Hannah just watching.

another slice of Jumbleberry...

Moving on to pumpkin...

savoring every bite.

These two were so much help.

Sarah was in charge of table decoration and Lizzie helped with pie and stuffing.

This is to prove that Mark and I were present at this little celebration. It seems almost impossible to get a good picture of both of us together. If I look strung out it's because I thought the day before Thanksgiving would be a fine day to get a flu shot and, you guessed it, I got the flu. Blech!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I AM

2010-11-30T19:34:00.001-07:00

Every fall in our church we hold what is called Young Women in Excellence, which is an evening where we celebrate the accomplishments of the young women in our ward. I feel so fortunate to have the chance to work with these young women, and my goal is for them to see at least a glimmer of how amazing they are. As the girls displayed some of the things they did during the year I was struck by how varied their interests and passions are; from the drumline to the violin; from sports to horses; from sewing to singing. Each girl's display spoke to who she is and what she hopes for.

Along with each display was a beautiful portrait taken by an amazingly talented woman who also serves in the YW with me. She asked each girl and leader to then choose several adjectives to describe herself. Since the girls were having a hard time coming up with things, we asked them to think of adjectives to describe each other. I loved watching each girl as the others would describe her. When they saw their beautiful pictures along with the adjectives, I saw them each light up inside. I truly hope these girls will internalize these adjectives and know who they are and who they can become.

I wanted to show how beautifully they turned out and Katie, of KWelch design, gave me permission to post them. If you want to see more of her work, you can see her blog here.

Zippidy-Ay and Heidi-Ho

2010-11-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

I love the person Lizzie is becoming. Most of the time, I enjoy watching the process, except some of those horrible junior high experiences we must all face. She is so much more together than I was at her age.

Some things I want to remember about Lizzie at 14:

Lizzie embraces life. She isn't afraid to try new or hard things. When she is faced with a challenge she figures out a way to make it happen.
She is a Harry Potter junkie. I don't know how many times she has read the series, but it's several. She's the one who watches all the special features on the DVD. In the future, when there are Harry Potter conventions, Lizzie will be there.
Lizzie has an amazing moral compass, which, most importantly, she follows. She had a much easier time than I did giving up a certain show we both loved, when the show got too questionable.
I love that she chose shrimp scampi for her birthday dinner, with lemon bars for dessert. Not pizza or mac and cheese. She has a taste for the finer things.
Lizzie looks for the best in everyone, which gives her the ability to get along with just about everyone.
She is brilliantly smart. She enjoys learning, even when it's a challenge. She's the only person I know who would willingly take a science class that is two periods long. I love that she calls herself and her friends from these classes "The Nerd Herd."
Lizzie's favorite tv shows are "Sherlock"-on Masterpiece Mystery and So You Think You Can Dance.
She is a wonderful big sister. She has an intuitive sense of what her sisters need, and when they need it.
Lizzie has a great sense of humor.
Lizzie radiates light. She is so beautiful.

Happy Birthday, Lizzie!

Tagger or Tattoo Artist?

2010-11-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hannah loves to draw. The problem is, she especially loves to draw on anything other than paper. I guess a small sheet of paper is just too limiting for an artist like Hannah. She has drawn on the walls in her room, in my room, in Sarah's room, on the desk in the office, in Mark's beloved theater just below the screen ( and very fortunately for her not on the screen itself), in the playroom, and in the back hall. Mr. Clean and his magic erasers have saved Hannah and my sanity.

Most recently Hannah has moved on to new type of canvas. She and Gracie drew all over their faces with a sharpie 15 minutes before church. I don't have a picture of that because I was frantically trying to wipe it off before it completely dried. Luckily, most of it came off, so she just looked like she had a little 5 o'clock shadow in Primary.

You have to admire a girl who doesn't limit herself to one career path. And if she goes with tattoo artist, Sarah will probably be her best customer.

EEEK!

2010-11-09T11:36:00.002-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows this: I am terrified of mice. I'm talking an actual phobia, called musiphobia. I know it is completely irrational in my head, but the panic that ensues when I see a mouse is real. My heart races, my mouth turns to cotton, my body temperature rises, and my skin crawls. It doesn't help that we always seem to live near a field. So, occasionally we find a mouse in our house. Suffice it to say, I have actually slept elsewhere, leaving my family at home, when there has been a mouse in my house. I cannot even watch the movie "Ratatouille" because the scene where the mice all fall through the old lady's ceiling unhinges me. Really.

Fast forward to this morning when I saw a little mouse run across my kitchen and underneath my dishwasher. If you want a re-enactment of my shriek, Hannah does an excellent one because she thought it was hilarious. She and Gracie have been walking around shrieking and laughing all morning. So glad I can provide some entertainment.

I used to take it as a critique of my less-than-tidy-all-the-time house. Like if I cleaned better, they would choose somewhere else. Then a woman I know who has an IMMACULATE house; a woman who admits to having a cleaning obsession, had her own mice problem (actually catching double-digits in one day), and I felt a little better. There are those who say they have never had a mouse in their house. I asked an exterminator about this, and he smiled a knowing smile. "Everyone gets mice," he said,"They just don't know it." I don't know if this makes me feel better, or just not all alone.

So today I have vacuumed every inch of my kitchen/pantry/cupboards. I will be spending an exorbitant amount of money at the hardware store on an obscene amount of D-con. Hey, when it comes to mice, my humanity flies out the window. There is no catching them and setting them free for this girl. I figure if a mouse has scared my pants off, it has fulfilled it's mission on earth. Absolute extermination is the only solution. My dark side is unleashed, and while I'm not proud of it, it's what helps me sleep at night...even if it is at someone else's house.

Something is Better than Nothing

2010-11-06T17:55:00.000-06:00

I'm in a blogging-blah-zone. Lately I find myself thinking about things to post, but then I don't. I always figure they're not beautiful prose, or clever and humorous, so instead, I post nothing. But I've decided that more important than well-worded posts are that I post things at all. Since this is the closest thing to a journal/family history/scrapbook I've ever done, I owe it to myself and my family to keep it going, regardless of how creative I'm feeling.

Call it lowering my standards. Call it settling. Call it what you will. But I'm going to call it Something is Better than Nothing.

I feel much better now.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T21:47:00.001-06:00

Once again, Halloween has come and gone. I am starting to enjoy Halloween more, as I let things go a little. For instance, this year Sarah did all the outdoor Halloween decorating, and did a fantastic job. We even have a new tombstone and skull to go along with our skeleton with the beating heart, thanks to her. She loves all that spooky stuff, and letting her do it herself made her VERY happy.

I made costumes again this year, for the first time in years. I REALLY LIKE making costumes, especially on my new sewing machine. I get to unleash a little creativity. However, I don't like finding the time to make them, and I don't think I will make all four costumes every year. Luckily, we had many chances to wear the costumes, so it was totally worth it.

Here is my "Alice, in her armor" complete with wind-blown hair.

Sarah always requests something that stretches my creativity,

and they end up being the most fun to make.

Never underestimate the power of a can of metallic spray paint and a pair of gray sweats.

It was Lizzie's last year of trick-or-treating, so we went all out.

As soon as I saw the pattern, I immediately called in reinforcements,

AKA my mom, AKA seamstress extraordinaire.

It was perfect, and big enough that Lizzie could wear warm stuff underneath.

She and her friends went to the "good candy" neighborhoods.

My two little bugs. They each loved their costume, more than the other. When someone accidentally called Gracie a bee too, she adamantly said, "NO! BUG!" Hannah and Gracie actually went trick-or-treating this year...and enjoyed it...until it started pouring rain. I think they liked the process more than the candy. I mean, what's not to love about going up to people, asking for candy, and getting some!

It was a happy, rainy Halloween night. Which ended with the continuation of our Harry Potter Festival. Before next year I AM going to get "Wait Until Dark" and a couple of Alfred Hitchcock movies. The downfall of video stores has made it hard to find spooky movies at Halloween.

Now we are heading into November, one of my favorite months of the year. Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. So, WELCOME NOVEMBER!

Monster Mash

2010-10-29T08:09:00.000-06:00

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Fall Break 2010 Finale: Bryce Canyon

2010-10-24T16:29:00.000-06:00

Bryce Canyon is unbelievably breathtaking. Really...words and photos cannot convey the majesty of that place. It was the perfect way to end a wonderful trip.

I love being away from EVERYTHING. This time Mark even turned off his phone. We went completely unplugged, and loved every minute. Okay, Sarah didn't love every minute. She wasn't shy to point out that Bryce Canyon was just a lot of looking at stuff., instead of climbing around, like Capitol Reef. I remember my mom and dad always pointing things out and saying how beautiful they were and me saying,"Yeah, yeah."

Our two sets of kids made any major hiking and climbing at Bryce tricky. We did divide and conquer a couple of times, and we'll have to head back when Hannah and Gracie are older. I was a little nervous tackling those switchbacks down into the canyon with people who are still mastering their sense of balance.

Mark and I also got the chance to dust off our second languages at Bryce Canyon. We camped next to a nice German family, and one day at the rim we were joined by a busload of French tourists. Sarah found this so fascinating, that when we got back and she had to choose an explorer to do a report on, she traded with another kid for Jacques Cartier, because he explored Quebec. Very cool. I also felt pretty good because the French tourists thought I was from Quebec. At first I was happy that my French isn't as rusty as I thought. Then, I realized I probably misunderstood what they said, and my French is indeed very rusty.

Here are a few of the gazillion pictures we took:

Bryce from a two-year-old perspective...

and a three-year-old perspective.

Waiting for dad and the big girls to come back from a hike,

and making mom go weak in the knees by standing so close to the edge.

Sarah taught Hannah this pose, which she used A LOT on the trip.

Sometimes they do get along.

Another potential Christmas card?

The rare photo for Mark and I together.

We are really liking this Fall Break tradition. We're wondering where to head next year...maybe the Grand Canyon?

Fall Break 2010 Part 2: Surprises Along the Way

2010-10-23T19:48:00.004-06:00

More trip photos. You've been warned.

View Blog

From Torrey, we headed for Bryce Canyon. We didn't know what Utah's Scenic Highway 12 had in store for us. It was the most amazing drive. Scenic is an understatement. The fall colors were absolutely gorgeous-and you know how I feel about fall and it's colors.

After climbing a summit with the elevation of 9500 ft. We descended into Boulder with our brakes burning. So we were thrilled when we stumbled upon Anasazi State Park. It was the perfect rest stop for us and the motor home.

Along with the actual ruins of a village from about 1000 years ago, there was a cool replica of a pueblo, or as Hannah would say, a clubhouse. It really made me want to go to Mesa Verde.

After we had stretched our legs we moved on, not realizing that Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument was on the way. So we stopped and ate lunch right at the tippy-top. Amazing views!

Then we braced ourselves for the drive ahead. See the sign? See the steep cliffs on either side of the curvy road? Remember we are in a bazillion foot motor home? Yeah, this section of the drive is not for wimps, but we did it anyway. At times I found myself leaning in and closing my eyes. When I did open them, I saw some of the most amazing stuff, but there was no stopping, so you'll just have to trust me, or go see it for yourself.

So, what started out as a simple drive from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon turned into a wonderful day filled with surprises...and adventure. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Fall Break 2010 Part 1: Capitol Reef

2010-10-19T16:00:00.003-06:00

Warning: This post is pure travelogue with a shameless amount of pictures. Something about red rocks brings out the wanna-be photographer in me.

Another fall break found us in a motor home heading south. And again we headed for Capitol Reef, which, I am happy to say, is still one of my favorite places in the world. I think our favorite thing about Capitol Reef, other than the lack of crowds, is how accessible it is. You just pull over at any given place and you're in the middle of an adventure. It's not just sight-seeing, you can climb all over everything. A definite plus with kids, or more specifically, Sarah. Our favorite spot is the Grand Wash, where there is fun to be had for everyone.

A super-cool caterpillar Hannah found.

Did I mention climbing around?

Sarah's idea of heaven...until she couldn't get down.

It's like a huge sandbox, which entertained these two for a LONG time.

Lizzie even found a little alone time,

which was hard to come by.

Shortcakes decided she's SO OVER the back pack.

It's also a great place to take some pictures:

Sarah sporting her new no-glasses look.

Lizzie is lovely even when camping.

My personal favorite.

Frick and Frack,

or is it Frack and Frick?

Hannah finally started smiling for pictures!

Gracie looks so big. Sigh.

100 % Daddy's girl

Possible Christmas Card?

To prove that I was indeed on this trip,

and to inspire me to be a more diligent runner.

Over My Head

2010-10-12T08:14:00.001-06:00

This is what Sarah wants to be for Halloween:

and this is what Lizzie wants to be for Halloween:

And this is what Hannah and Gracie want to be for Halloween:

(Hannah as the bee and Gracie as the ladybug)

Yeah, I'm completely in over my head,

but with my mom's help I think we can pull it off.

And it's going to be awesome!

I love making Halloween costumes.

Minute to Win It

2010-10-05T20:11:00.001-06:00

Recently, Minute to Win It came to Heber. They were looking for energetic participants...and they found them at Sarah's birthday party. It was an impressive blend of skill, luck, and lots of screaming.

Some of the great things about this kind of party are:

Other than assembling the materials, it's pretty east to pull off.
It's fun to watch what people will do to win a game. Coolness is out the window.
Since the games require a lot of luck, kids who don't normally win things can win. The kids who thought they had it made were quite disappointed. As a life-long underdog, this was fun to watch.
Sarah said it was the best party ever. That alone made it worth it.

Here are some of the games we played.

Defying Gravity

You must keep two balloons in the air for 60 seconds.

This is tough with a breeze!

The Rules

It's not Minute to Win It without a British woman
robotically reading the instructions.

Bulb Balance

Using one packet of salt, balance a raw egg

on a light bulb for three seconds.

Please stay up...

Light as a Feather

Keep a feather in the air for one minute.

Again, the breeze!

Face the Cookie

(A personal favorite)

Using only the facial muscles, the player must move

a cookie from their forehead into their mouth.

So much fun to watch!

Hanky Panky

What my family room looked like after eight girls played Hanky Panky.

Back Flip

Becca (one of my assistants) was THE MASTER

Dizzy Mummy

This is an experiment in absolute dizziness!

Candelier

Harder than it looks.

Junk in the Trunk

The Grand Finale

and my most favorite to watch.

Demonstrated by my assistants Lizzie and Becca.

Party Animals!

The Help

Relaxing from a couple of hours of non-stop screaming.

Mario Kart to the rescue!

Goodie Bags

I had to take a picture of these,

because this is the part of the party I usually forget.

A Great Man

2010-10-04T15:03:00.001-06:00

Reid Morck

1935-2010

On September 7, we got one of those phone calls one never wants to receive. Our friend, Reid Morck, had passed away suddenly from complications after surgery. As the memories came washing over us, we realized that the influence this kind and gentle man had on our lives is immeasurable.

Just after Mark's 30th birthday, Reid called Mark to serve in the bishopric as his counselor. He had confidence in Mark that Mark didn't even have in himself. Reid taught Mark so much about being a good husband and father. He taught Mark how to honor his priesthood and what it means to be a worthy priesthood holder. He was a loving example, a friend, and a champion for Mark when Mark needed it most. He can take a lot of credit for the man Mark is today.

Thank you, Reid for your kind heart, your bright smile, your humility and your strength. You will always hold a sweet place in our hearts.

Sarah, Sarah Bo Bearah...

2010-10-03T19:47:00.000-06:00

It seems like Sarah has changed so much this year. I'm talking more than the usual birthday changes. Then I saw this picture from her birthday last year and realized I wasn't imagining things.

10th Birthday & 1st day of Fourth Grade

1st day of Fifth Grade

This is my favorite recent picture of Sarah.

I think it captures the very essence of Sarah.

Here are some things I would like to remember about Sarah at 11:

Sarah has more energy than any two people I know. This energy is accompanied by her zest for life.
She is a fun big sister, who teaches her little sisters the important stuff like how to jump down the stairs into a bean bag.
She has become more responsible this year.
Sarah loves to talk. On a recent trip to Salt Lake she talked non-stop the entire way. I'm not exaggerating...non-stop.
Sarah LOVES to dance. LOVES IT
Her favorite movies are Guardians of Ga'Hoole and The Spy Next Door.
Her favorite books are 39 Clues and Gooney Bird Green
Sarah's favorite foods are bean burritos and pulled pork sandwiches-these remain constant...like the North Star.
Phineas and Ferb is her favorite show. I love that it's one I can live with.
Her favorite dessert is ANY DESSERT, but if she had to choose one it would be the Uber Chocolate Cake I made for her birthday.
Her favorite subject in school is PE. No surprise there.
Sarah's favorite colors are red and purple. She abhors anything cutesy or foofy-especially anything with tiny little flowers. She likes a little flash/bling. In fact, I would describe her style as "Comfortable Diva." When I post the photos of her room makeover, you will see what I'm talking about.

I'm so grateful for Sarah. Our home would be so boring without her. Happy Birthday Gorgeous Girl!

First Day of School

2010-09-12T21:41:00.001-06:00

So, nothing clever here. Here are the girls on their first day of school.

Lizzie; 8th Grade

Sarah; 5th Grade

Hannah; Preschool

Is it just me, or are those some BEAUTIFUL girls?

First "Hair Tut"

2010-09-12T20:38:00.001-06:00

Lately, Hannah has refused to let me do anything to her thin, super-fine, straggly hair. So, in order to cut down on the hair battles and tangle pain, it was time for her first hair cut.

She sat still like she never has before. She is getting so grown up!

While We Were Out

2010-08-22T20:09:00.000-06:00

While we relaxed in Kauai, the girls partied hard with their aunties, Nicky and Cammy. Here are some of the things they did to keep busy.

Practiced a little yoga

Took a few pictures

Swam in Grandpa's pool...

and enjoyed the view

Hung out

and mugged for the camera.

Did you notice how miserable they look without us?

Thanks Nicky and Cammy, for the wonderful week!

Just the Two of Us

2010-08-20T14:44:00.000-06:00

In early August, Mark and I went to Kauai. Yes, just the two of us. People have asked me about the trip and the word that best sums it up is: lovely.

The major plane ride over was quite different without kids. I read a book from cover to cover, enjoyed some games on my i-pod, and we were there. Plus, we got to sit next to each other on the plane.

We slept in, ate a different fish every night (at grown-up restaurants); explored new beaches on the North Shore, some of which required some hiking to get there; relaxed on the beach instead of worrying about who is drowning; fell in love with Hanalei and the North Shore; snorkeled our hearts out; and basically enjoyed having absolutely no schedule at all. We managed to take a few pictures along the way, and we even missed our kids by the end.

Hiking to Sea Lodge Beach. There were 7 people there, including us.

Queen's Bath. A bunch of HUGE tidepools that are so big you can snorkel in them.

Ke'e Beach

North Shore taro fields.

Hanalei Bay

The Cathedrals on the Napali Coast.

Traveling without the kids....I highly recommend it.

My Fair Ladies

2010-08-08T10:00:00.000-06:00

I have mentioned before what a big deal the County Fair is in our town. A huge part of the fair are the 4-H exhibits, and a huge part of the 4-H exhibits for our family are those that Lizzie and Sarah have entered. They get ribbons, and most importantly to Sarah, win cash.

Both Lizzie and Sarah participated in 4-H sewing camp this year, where they made purses, pillowcases, and skirts. Lizzie also attended 4-H quilt camp this year, and a flower arranging class. One thing I love about the sewing camps is that a parent must attend, so I always learn A LOT. This year was no exception, and I am even feeling motivated to do some more sewing with a new sewing machine I am saving for. Anyway...I digress.

They are both really talented. Not only did they rake in the blue ribbons, but almost everything they made qualified for the State Fair (purple ribbons). Here are some of their entries:

Sarah's Skirt

Lizzie's Quilt

Lizzie's Flower Arrangement. She entered two and liked the other better, but the judges liked this one.

Sarah's pillowcase is the second from the top on the right.

Sarah's Purse

The only bad thing about qualifying for the State Fair is then I feel obligated to attend. Let's just say there is a unique crowd at the State Fair, with some amazing people watching opportunities. Do you like my upbeat outlook? Maybe I'll just think of it as a cultural experience.

P & P Perfection

2010-07-26T16:34:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I had 3 (yes, three) sleeping girls and 1 girl not home.

Plus a perfect summer thunderstorm.

So you would think I did something productive like cleaning or laundry, but you would be wrong.

Instead I watched this:

(which is what I watch when I don't have the time for this:)

while making this:

Does it get any better than Pride and Prejudice with Fresh Peach Pie in a quiet house on a rainy afternoon?

I'm going to say, no.

Catching Up: Girls Camp 2010

2010-07-23T10:00:00.000-06:00

Last spring I was called to serve as a stake camp leader. It's ironic since I spent the better part of the last 10 years avoiding girls camp. Why? The last time I went to girls' camp it snowed 18 inches, and we were evacuated off the mountain. Yep, I could go the rest of my life without that again.

But, living in Heber means we get to attend the Heber Valley Girls Camp every year. Yes, we are completely spoiled. Cabins, bathrooms, showers, and best of all...the crushed ice machine. I actually missed that ice machine when I got home. This was a great place to dip my toes into girls camp again.

I think part of why I haven't posted about camp yet is because it was a very personal and spiritual experience for me. I was in a beautiful place doing important things. I loved the stake leaders I served with, and I got to know the Young women in my ward better, since they are stuck with me now. I got a chance to get away from my hectic life and ponder meaningful things. The theme, Courage Mountain, and the scripture, Joshua 1:9 really struck a chord to me. It was wonderful to listen to a chorus of girls sing all week long.

Here are some things I learned:

I have allowed my life to become far too hectic. I need to get back to what is really important to me.

I don't ever want to be in charge of the food for girls camp.
I really enjoy orienteering, which I discovered while learning how to use a compass about 30 minutes before I taught all the 3rd year girls how to use theirs.
With Tylenol PM and ear plugs you can get a pretty good night's sleep at camp.
If you have short hair, a hat will be essential at camp, since there is no such thing as good morning hair, and a pony tail isn't an option.
Our stake leaders are amazing women who pour their hearts into everything they do.
I truly love the young women and leaders in my ward. I want them to realize just how strong they really are.

Yes, I'm not exaggerating when I say the experience was life changing for me. I'm even looking forward to next year. Thanks to Lizzie and Kelsey for sharing their pictures.

Two

2010-07-21T22:42:00.000-06:00

My baby is two-years-old. Wow! It is amazing and scary at the same time. Gracie is such a fun part of our family. So before I document the festivities, here are some things I want to remember about Gracie as she turns two:

If Gracie's hands are busy, and she wants to give me a little hello, she blinks at me. And I blink back.
If I am sitting cross-legged on the floor, Gracie backs into my lap, puts my arms around her, and starts rocking us both back and forth.
I have mentioned this before, but I LOVE her curls.
Gracie is my snuggliest girl.
She is still a daddy's girl, but right now she quite likes me too:)
She loves to copy Hannah.
Her cheeks still bounce a little when she walks.
Gracie has amazing eyelashes.
She loves animals; to watch and to play with.
I love to squeeze her chubby thighs.
Gracie still rubs her ears and sucks her thumb for comfort.
She has to sleep with "Sheepie" and Pooh bear every night.
Gracie loves flash lights.
When she gets hurt she wants to be comforted on her own terms. She has to lay down and cry for a minute and then she comes for a hug.
Gracie has never met a dessert she didn't like.
She enjoys story time. Right now some of her favorites are "Miss Spider's Tea Party," "Where?" and "Wings."
Gracie has developed quite an effective dirty look which she gives whenever she wants you to understand her displeasure.
On the flip side, her smile lights up a room.
Gracie likes to run to people with her arms outstretched, and then give a big hug.

Gracie's birthday came at the end of Girls Camp and Sarah's marvelous adventure, so we kept things very low key. The best part is...she didn't care. The evening before her birthday she celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa Snider. I had to miss it because of a nasty stomach bug I picked up at camp-thanks 7th ward. I am told Gracie loved being the center of attention and clasped her hands together in delight when her cake came out. Lizzie was my photographer, and we'll post these pictures as soon as she finds her camera cord.

On her actual birthday, we just had the Haroldsen grandparents over, and she celebrated all over again. She enjoyed blowing out the candles...

and her Wild Strawberry cupcakes.

One of her favorite presents was her "bike,"

but she really liked it all, and I'm feeling indecisive about pictures, so here's a slideshow. We can add Lizzie's pictures later.

Camp Cousin

2010-07-19T11:17:00.001-06:00

Last week, Sarah got to go to Camp Cousin. Sarah and her cousin Kate are the same age and like two peas in a pod, but they don't get to see each other as often as they would like, since Kate lives in Lake Oswego, OR. Lisa, Dave and Kate were generous enough to invite Sarah up for a few days of fun, while Lizzie and I were at camp and dad and the little girls were hanging at home.

The adventure began with a plane ride...ALL BY HERSELF. She was a little nervous, but once we got to the airport, she handled it like a pro. I shed a few tears, but she was fine.

Here they are roasting marshmallows with Kate's puppy, Benny.

I think playing with Benny eased Sarah's pain over the loss of Holly,

at least for a little while. Thanks for all the photos, Lisa!

They also went to OMSI-one of our favorite places in Portland.

They had a cool exhibit on Albert Einstein.

One of Sarah's highlights was the Justin Bieber Concert at the Rose Garden...

They even got to be on the jumbo-tron.

Sarah is certain Justin himself picked she and Kate out of the crowd.

Who can blame him? They are so adorable.

They also headed to the coast one day.

I think the Justin Bieber t-shirts got a lot of wear.

Sarah didn't want me to wash it because the sparkles would wash off.

I told her we could turn it inside out...I hope I'm right.

They also did crafts, made a show called iCousins, and saw my brother, Dave and his girlfriend, Jenn. Sarah had so much fun she didn't even call home...EVER. Although she did consider calling to see if she could stay longer. Thanks to Aunt Lisa, Uncle Dave and Kate for showing Sarah such a great time. You guys squeezed a lot into five days. Sarah will never forget it.

Goodbye, Miss Holly

2010-07-11T19:48:00.000-06:00

I realize that I have never told the story about our dog, Holly. Back when we moved to Heber, the girls wanted a dog. We told them we would get a dog when we had a fence, which at the time seemed a long way off. Well, a couple of years later we put in a fence and the girls, who can't even remember what jobs I asked them to do today, remembered the dog promise from years earlier.

We looked through the Sunday paper and decided to try the Basset Hound Rescue in Magna, because a Basset Hound seemed about as much dog as we could handle, AND I didn't want a puppy. I guess you could say, Holly chose us.

As we waited in the grassy area of the rescue, out came a Basset hound who looked at us with pure disdain and stayed on the other side of the yard. He was aloof and snotty. The man then told us about another dog, who wasn't pure bred, but was very sweet. Out came Holly, tail wagging and tongue hanging out. She was so excited, but didn't jump up on the girls. Her droopy brown eyes were irresistable, along with her cute howl. She just wanted to play and play. She was so gentle with the girls. Sweet is the perfect word to describe her. This was the dog for us. They told us she was four at the time, but it was really anyone's guess, and we've always felt she was older than that.

Holly has been a wonderful dog. She was very low maintenance (until lately), and while she is not the brightest crayon in the box, her sweetness, big heart, and droopy brown eyes have endeared her to just about everyone. She is gentle with kids, and has put up with lots of poking and patting, and even the occasional attempt to ride her. Holly has graciously accepted two new babies, and tolerated being knocked a couple more rungs down our family totem pole.

But lately, Holly hasn't really been Holly anymore. Her sight and hearing are almost gone. She has a hard time with stairs. She has been disoriented and has started with bad behavior we have never seen before like eating food off the table and peeing EVERYWHERE. Because she can't hear well, she can't hear Hannah and Gracie coming up to her and she has become very snappy when they startle her. Most of all, Holly isn't happy. The things that have brought her joy in the past don't really seem to phase her now.

So we have made THE hard decision. We have discussed it with the girls, who sadly agree that Holly has lived a good life and brought us much joy, but we don't want to wait until she is miserable. What a hard choice to make! We have all shed tears. But then, as if to confirm we had made the right choice, Holly started trying to bite Hannah and Gracie, for no particular reason other than they were there.

So, probably this week, while Lizzie and I are at camp and Sarah is visiting her cousin, Mark will take Holly to the vet, and we will no longer be dog owners.

I have complained about Holly so much lately, and she really has become a pain. But I am going to miss her sweet eyes and the way she rolls over to have her tummy scratched. I'm going to miss how she catches my hand under her nose and moves it up to her head so I will pet her. I will miss that extra soft fur on her chest. I will even miss how she takes her very crumbly food over to the carpet to eat. I am surprised how emotional I am feeling.

Good bye, Miss Holly. Thank you for choosing us all those years ago.

Once Upon A Time...

2010-07-03T18:58:00.000-06:00

Sixteen years ago today, a really cute guy sat next to me in church, and changed my life forever. That is where our story began, and it has taken us through many adventures. I wouldn't change a moment of it.

Happy Day-We-Met, Mark!

Greasing the Un-squeaky Wheel

2010-07-01T22:54:00.001-06:00

You've heard the expression : the squeaky wheel always gets the grease. Sometimes I find my self spending so much time offering incentives for some kids to go potty, not pick their scabs, clean up their rooms, or generally be good that I forget the kid that does almost everything just because she should; the kid who does her homework and practices without being asked; the kid who has been accepted into so many honors classes that she has to choose which one to drop; the kid who bought her own pointe shoes because funds were tight that week; the kid who asks how she can help several times a day; the kid who goes along making life great in her own way.

I realized I was taking this kid for granted and wanted to do something special for her; but what? GEL TOES!

There was something magical about sitting in a skanky nail salon together drinking fresh limes, in funky massage chairs and having our feet pampered. The best part was watching Lizzie get excited about getting a pedicure AND gel toes, when she was happy to settle for one or the other.

How did I get so lucky?

Lots of Good, a Little Bad, and a Little Ugly

2010-06-30T00:08:00.003-06:00

You would think, from the lack of posts, that we had either been up to nothing, or way too busy. I guess both are true.

The Good

We took the girls to Lagoon on the last day of school. It seems like we are always putting things off in the summer, until its too late to do them, so we decided to start things off with a bang, and set the goal of doing one "fun" thing each week. Lagoon is not my favorite place, so my expectations are always very low. This is good since then we can exceed them. Everyone had a great time, and it didn't rain until the evening-and then WOW! It really rained hard.

Hannah loved Bulgy the Whale; Gracie not so much.

Gracie loved the boats as long as

she didn't have to keep her arms in the boat at all times.

Lizzie is very determined...

And it totally paid off. Sarah got soaked.

I got a new calling. I get to work with the Young Women in our ward. I love YW, and I am really excited-even more so since Lizzie is happy about me being there. I am looking forward to getting to know some new women and young women whom I admire a great deal. I haven't served in YW since before Sarah was born. Those Beehives now have families of their own. They are amazing women, so I guess I didn't inflict any permanent damage.

The Bad

My new calling is a little bit bad because I loved teaching the Valiant 9 class in Primary. I had such a fun group of kids. We had a ball with the Old Testament- one boy wrote me a thank you note and told me his favorite lesson was the one about Moses and the 10 plagues. I'm sure going to miss them.

Holly is really going downhill fast. Along with her near deafness and her limited eyesight, she has become completely incontinent. So we bought a carpet cleaner, and we're preparing the girls for the likelihood that Holly won't make it through the summer.

The Ugly

Our wonderful weekly "fun" plan got sidetracked during week #2 when Gracie was hit with a respiratory virus complete with steroids and a nebulizer. You know it's serious when the nurse, upon hearing Gracie wheezing over the phone, asked if we could get there in five minutes. The next day she and Hannah came down with a NASTY stomach flu, in the summer for crying out loud! Ugly is not an exaggeration especially to describe two toddlers with a stomach bug. That carpet cleaner is coming in handy.

Now I'm pretty close to caught up. We are staring the 4th of July right in the face and getting ready for girls camp-where I am the certification specialist for the stake. That would still get me laughing hysterically, if I didn't have so much cramming to do. Honestly, me teaching outdoor skills to anyone makes me question the title "specialist." The ONLY thing I can remember about certifying as a youth is learning how to start a fire with a tampon- and they don't even do that anymore. Thankfully, I have 45 youth leaders at my disposal, and I strongly believe in delegation.

So happy summer everyone! Hope things are groovy out there.

This Yard of Ours

2010-06-08T16:15:00.001-06:00

I love to be outside. I also enjoy working in my yard. I have never understood spring cleaning because the minute the weather is even close to warm, I just want to be outside. My house is a wreck in the spring and summer because of this. To be completely honest, my house is a wreck all of the time, but I feel much less guilt about it when the weather is warm.

When we moved into our home, eight years ago, it was surrounded by rocks and dirt (mostly rocks). This year I feel like our yard is really coming together. It has taken eight years of a little-bit-here and a little-bit-there, but all the blood, sweat and tears have made it feel like part of the family. (I'm not exaggerating about the blood. Mark and I are like the three stooges when it comes to home projects.) Each little piece of the yard has it's own story and even a little drama. Here are some of the things I love in our yard this spring.

I love lilacs. They remind me of my grandma because they were one of her favorites. I was so excited to have a bush of my own. But this bush was so stubborn. It took four years before it bloomed. I was literally ready to rip the thing out when it finally came through for me. Now it is trying to take over, but I love it.

I got these irises from a neighbor who has about a bazillion of them. Every time I look at them I think of this man and his wonderful wife, who were so kind and friendly to us when we first moved in, even though we were "transplants" to the valley.

My bleeding heart just might be my favorite. It pulls through for me every spring, when it literally goes from nothing to gorgeous within a couple of weeks, and stays that way for a long time.

Last, but certainly not least, are these aspens. There are so many stories that go along with these babies. The back of our house faces "full west," to steal a term from Jane Austen. This means hot, hot, hot. We needed some relief from the afternoon sun. It looked a bit ridiculous when we planted these tiny sticks several years ago. We spaced them ten feet apart, and hoped the plant guy wasn't playing with us on the spacing. Now they are almost completely filled in, and doing their job beautifully. An added bonus is the way they sound when the wind blows.

Last year we lost one to a combination of ants and micro-burst winds. It was so upsetting. I mean it. I shed a few tears. These trees also remind me that soak hoses put out A LOT of water. Just ask my neighbors. I completely flooded their yards, trying to keep the little sticks "moist" after we planted them. The best part is the neighbors still like us. How cool is that?

When we moved in, we put our yard on a 10-year-plan. Now as we are getting closer to ten years, I think it will be more of a 20-year-plan. One day we will have a bigger patio with a pergola covered in something beautiful, a shed that isn't held together with duct tape, and a lawn free of dog-paths. But for now, I'm loving how this yard of ours is turning out.

Check out the 'Fro!

2010-05-31T17:39:00.001-06:00

I LOVE Gracie's curly locks!

They are even more spectacular after a nap.

Look out Napoleon...

there's a new 'fro in town!

A Gift

2010-05-29T20:22:00.001-06:00

Today was a gift. It's as simple as that. All week the weather had been predicted to be rainy all day. I had been trying to think of things to keep kids busy on a rainy day. So imagine my surprise when I awoke to a cool, but sunny day. It only took a moment for me to switch into garden mode.

I got the vegetable garden planted. Peas, radishes, corn, beans, cucumbers, peppers, basil, cilantro, green onions, lettuce, spinach and tomatoes. Lizzie is working on a value project for her Personal Progress (church stuff) which involves her helping in the entire garden process-soil preparation to harvest. As a mom, I think this is the coolest idea. With the help of my trusty new garden partner, we were done by 10 am.

Mark was headed for Home Depot. After some negotiating with Lizzie to watch the girls (no clean room today), I got to tag along. We decided to divide and conquer (which avoids many disagreements). I headed to the garden department for some cucumber plants (which I can never get to work-this is my last attempt) and cilantro. I found them in five minutes. So I wandered.

Oh the beautiful plants and flowers! I love to shop for plants. I love to plant them. Basically, I love gardening-most of the time. I had plenty of time to browse and think of wonderful places to put these beautiful flowers. Plants like Salvia, Columbine, Mexican heather, primroses, Indian blanket, Coreopsis were calling to me. I started filling my cart-top and bottom. It was so exciting for a nerd like me. The best part-we had a left-over gift card that covered the whole purchase (take THAT Dave Ramsey)! I told you this day was a gift.

As Mark manned the fort, I planted all afternoon. It was lovely. It was relaxing. It was me outside with dirt under my fingernails, the wind in my hair, and nobody needing anything from me. Sometimes it got cloudy and chilly, sometimes it sprinkled and sometimes it turned warm and sunny, but it never rained. I telling you, it was as close to perfect as it gets.

Now that almost everything is planted, I am looking at my Monday, which was meant to be spent in the garden. It just turned into a day with some fun potential.

And guess what I'm thinking. Yep. Another gift.

My Dancing Queens

2010-05-15T17:25:00.006-06:00

Warning: This is the annual "proud-mom, blurry-photo" recap of the girls' Spring Dance Recital. Unless you are a grandparent, uncle or aunt, you are more than welcome to skip this post.

Once again we have survived the Spring Dance Recital. In fact, I enjoyed the process so much more this year than I have in the past. Either I am getting used to the craziness, or we are getting better at handling the stress. It's probably a little of both. I am becoming a better "dance mom" which is not to be confused with a "stage mom."

Every year there is a theme for the class and solo dances and then a ballet performed by the Ballet Company. This year's theme was "Welcome to the 80's" and the ballet was "Alice in Wonderland."

First, I mentioned this in December, but this year Sarah's costume could not have been more perfect for her. She was just as sparkly as her outfit and her energy and moves made the dance wonderful. Check her out looking so adorable while doing the splits. Her cuteness even made me like her teacher's song choice a little better-I Wanna Dance With Somebody, by Whitney Houston.

Because Lizzie is in Ballet Company this year, she had a lot of dancing to do. This is her "Praise to the Man" number. I love living in a place where they would do "Praise to the Man" for a dance recital. I admit I was skeptical when Lizzie told me about it, but it was beautiful and even gave me the chills.

Now we are into "Alice in Wonderland." This is Lizzie's first part of a naughty school girl.

Her big role was Tweedle Dee. She had so much fun, and really, who wouldn't have fun in this costume? She totally played it up. She was really fun to watch. Little kids even wanted their picture taken with her after the show.

Lizzie was also a door. The funny thing about this picture is, this is not Lizzie. I took a bunch of pictures of the wrong door! In my defense, they all had buns and were dressed in black, and Lizzie never specified which door. The really sad part is this is not the first time something like this has happened.

Finally, she was a spoon at the Mad Hatter's tea party. I'm not kidding...a spoon, and once again the costume was great!

Here are my two favorite dancers together, along with Tweedle Dum. I am so happy they enjoy dance so much. I am so happy they love to perform.

AND...I am so happy I don't have to drive to dance for the summer.

"But don't they have summer classes?" you may ask. Yes, but they will be pedaling their way to dance all summer.

"But Mom," they say,"It's CLEAR across town!"

"It is, indeed, on the other side of town-11 whole blocks away." You gotta love Heber!

Born With It

2010-05-03T21:42:00.000-06:00

This just goes to show that the ability to accessorize

is something you're born with,

because this little ensemble was all Gracie's doing.

It must skip a generation.

Enough Already!

2010-04-28T09:48:00.002-06:00

This snow is bringing me down. I mean really! I have been a pretty good sport this spring. I have done the whole,"We really need the water" and "That's spring in Utah" blah blah blah.

But it's April 28 for crying out loud. Don't get me wrong, I'm still into the whole water thing, but I would prefer if it came in the form of... WATER!

Plus, the wind took out two sections of our fence last night. Not a great scenario when I need to let out my elderly and somewhat senile dog, who would never find her way home again should she escape. Picture Mark and I outside in our jammies trying to put the darn thing back together enough to make it until the repair guy can come fix it. This, I might add, is an expense that is not included in my spankin' new "Dave Ramsey" budget. ARGH!

Glad to get that off my chest. I feel much better now.

The Pianist in the Lobby

2010-04-19T16:52:00.001-06:00

A few years ago I was talking to a friend on the phone. In the background she had some beautiful piano music playing. I asked what CD it was, and she told me it was her teen-age daughter playing. I was so impressed and told her it was like she was in a fancy hotel lobby, with her own private pianist.

Lizzie recently changed piano teachers. For the first time in a long time she is really enjoying the piano. I am really enjoying listening to her practice. It's very soothing. Now I have my very own pianist, in my very own lobby. However, I think you all know me well enough to know it doesn't look like a fancy hotel. But soothing trumps fancy in my book.

A Perfect Zoo Day

2010-04-15T17:22:00.000-06:00

It is Spring Break in these parts, so yesterday Mark took the day off, and we went to the zoo. We've been to the zoo before, but this was different somehow.

First, the weather was gorgeous. The sun was shining. The sky was blue. It wasn't cold or hot. It was different from the previous week of snow/rain and all-around crumminess.

Due to the gorgeous weather, the animals were out and active. The monkeys were swinging and racing around. A zoo docent gave us our own little falcon class. I even caught my first sighting of the cheetah in years, possibly even forever. I was really beginning to think the cheetah didn't exist. We even saw all four tigers.

And being spring, there were baby animals all over the place. Hannah had talked earlier that morning about seeing a baby and mommy elephant. I was afraid she was going to be really disappointed. But as we approached the elephants, there was the cutest baby elephant with it's mom. Hannah was fascinated, and so were the rest of us.

While all these things helped make the day wonderful, what made it perfect was being there together and watching each of my girls having a wonderful time. Hannah and Gracie are at perfect ages for the zoo. Their faces were filled with absolute wonder at every animal we saw. I loved watching Hannah and Sarah walk along holding hands. Lizzie experienced the joy of taking little kids to the zoo. Sarah and Lizzie were enjoying each others company. Mark carrying Gracie on his shoulders made me love him just that much more.

Every now and then there comes a perfect day, and yesterday was one of them. And since the pictures didn't turn out that great anyway, I'll just have to file it away in my memory. Then I can find it on those not-so-perfect days that happen all too often.

Pleadings of a Chocoholic

2010-04-12T15:54:00.002-06:00

I really need some help. I have recently discovered that I can't eat chocolate. Yes, you read right. Danielle+chocolate=bad news.

I am now over the initial shock of losing what had become one of the basic food groups at our house. I never realized how many of my desserts, treats, goodies, sanity savers, etc.,. are chocolate. I had really gotten pretty exclusive with the creamy brown stuff. So I'm asking for some ideas.

So please, please, PLEASE let me know what some of your favorite non-chocolate desserts and treats are. From something you just grab at the store to something you make. Help me expand my horizons.

Because there's no way I'm giving up dessert over this.

Tips?

2010-04-10T11:53:00.001-06:00

While I am very flattered, I am completely flabbergasted why anyone would ask me for potty training advice.

So far none of my girls have been potty trained before they are three. Each time it has been a completely different "adventure."

But, several people asked for tips after the last post. So here is what we did. It worked for us. But, unlike the %$#@* 3-Day Potty Training queen, I cannot and will not guarantee anyone's success.

It's called the Chinese method. I don't know if that's true or not, but I like the "eastern philosophy" vibe that title gives it.
I mention again: Hannah is three.
Basically, your kid wears just a shirt for a few days. I found every time I put underpants on Hannah, she would just go in them. This way there's nothing to catch it. Who wants pee running down their legs? Not me, and evidently, not Hannah either. You go into it knowing you're going to clean up a few messes, but I had Hannah help me, and we kept it really positive. Obviously, you're going to be home for a couple of days, so we chose Conference Weekend.
This is key: Don't Ask, Don't Tell. You don't ask if they need to go, and you don't tell them to go. It's completely up to them. This was perfect for Hannah, who likes to do things on her own terms. It was perfect for me because if I have to keep track of reminding, I don't think they're really potty trained.
We also had an incentive system. Very low tech. I wrote numbers 1-5 several times on a piece of paper. Each time she went in the potty she got a sticker. After 5 stickers, she would get a Polly Pocket doll. She LOVES these, and even better, they were on a screaming Easter sale that week.
After a couple of days with no accidents we added underpants. Then a couple days later we added pants. We're still working on away from home situations. They're a little tricky. We also haven't tackled night-time yet. She still wears a pull-up at night.
Now we're phasing out the sticker thing.

So, there you have it. I hope it works for you. If not, remember what they say about free-advice.

She Did It!

2010-04-08T14:03:00.001-06:00

After last year's utter potty training failure, I decided to wait until Hannah was practically begging to go potty before I attempted it again. Then I put it off a little bit longer.

Thanks to some great advice from my friend, Vicki ( one of our great baby sitters back when we lived in SL. The weirdness of how we now have kids the same age could be a post in itself.), I found a Hannah-friendly potty training style. And it worked! We are on day 7, and she has had only a few accidents. I think the possibility of earning her very own Polly Pockets was also a big factor in her success.

I love when she goes running to the potty singing "Pee time, pee time!" I loved only buying one size of diapers at the store. And most of all, I LOVE seeing that cute little bum in her panties. If I could post a picture of those panty-clad cheeks without being turned in as a perv, I would. You'll just have to use your imagination.

My little girl is growing up, and this is one part of baby-hood to which I'm NOT sad to bid farewell.

New Wheels

2010-04-02T19:43:00.002-06:00

Hannah and Gracie get along really well, but every now and then there is something that they disagree about. Last summer we had a red "cozy coupe" that I found for $10 at a yard sale. It got lots of love from my kids, and neighbor kids of all ages.

There was just one tiny problem. The car caused an all-out brawl anytime Hannah and Gracie were near it. We're talking screaming, hitting, biting, scratching, pushing, hair-pulling brawls. It literally looked and sounded like a cat fight every time.

So when Grandpa and Nonni wanted Christmas ideas, I had an epiphany: two IDENTICAL cozy coupes! This past week I finally got them out of the attic and put them together. (Coupe #1: 1 hour 30 minutes; Coupe #2: less than 30 minutes.)

Now it is driving bliss around here. They are even willing to push one another. While I am not willing to get two of EVERYTHING-I mean kids do need to learn to share- the peaceful sound of two little Fred Flintstone powered vehicles is beautiful.

And our garage-sale special has found a good home with Sam, next door.

I love a happy ending.

Deep Beauty

2010-03-30T19:48:00.002-06:00

On Saturday, Lizzie and I and our cute friend, Emily, had tickets to see the Young Women's broadcast at the Conference Center in Salt Lake. For those of you not familiar with LDS lingo, it is a meeting for girls 12-18 and their moms that is broadcast all over the world.

It was Lizzie and Emily's first time at the Conference Center.

They had it all decked out with banners and flags in the Y.W. colors.

We ran into some friends from our ward.

Thanks, Lynette for taking the picture!

It was really exciting to see the prophet

and be with so many other young women.

Lizzie is looking a little nervous because as we took this,

they announced no flash photography.

I am not generally a meeting person, which is why, I think, I spend a lot of time in the Primary, the children's organization in the church. These speakers, however, were amazing. I never found my mind wandering or wondering how much time was left. Lizzie and Emily were enthralled as well. The speakers were the presidency of the Young Womens organization and one of the members of the First Presidency. (I know you're not supposed to have favorites, but I gave a silent cheer when they announced Elder Uchtdorf.) They said things every mother wants her daughter to hear, and things every mother needs to hear.

All of the talks were wonderful, but the one I find myself thinking about, even days later was by Sister Dalton. She spoke about "deep beauty." This was more than just the usual "beauty is on the inside" stuff. She spoke about how deep beauty shows on the outside, doesn't age and most importantly, how to cultivate deep beauty. I want to download that talk and play it over and over to my girls in their sleep.

Here are some girls with very deep beauty:

Taylor, Lizzie, Emily & Taylor.

Their moms also have deep beauty,

and I'm so glad to call them my friends.

This experience made me even more excited for my new calling as the stake camp certification specialist. Anyone who went to camp with me as a young woman will need a paper bag right about now, so they don't hyperventilate from laughing hysterically.

A Domestic Trumph

2010-03-25T18:05:00.001-06:00

One of my goals for this year was to overcome my feelings of inadequacy when it comes to home made bread. I am severely challenged at anything domestic, but bread had become a bit of a complex.

I have been trying bread recipes all over the place, and I can say: I am no longer fearful of bread! And it's only March! I've made French bread and rolls on a fairly regular basis, and they turned out on a regular basis too. I made some great Irish Oatmeal bread for St. Patty's Day.

I have been feeling so sure of myself, that we've decided to have only home made bread for the next month. Why? Well, then I can say I've truly conquered my fear; it's yummy; I know and can pronounce everything that's in it; and it's way less expensive than the GOOD bread at the store.

Just so you know I'm keeping it real, here's a tip I learned today. If you made cheese cake for your cute husband's birthday recently, and the butter leaked from your crummy spring form pan all over the oven, wipe out the burned butter before baking six loaves of bread. Otherwise your bread will have a slightly smoky flavor, and all your smoke alarms will go off.

Next mountain to climb....pull ups. Gulp.

Our Trip to the Sand Dunes

2010-03-18T10:59:00.001-06:00

This past weekend we set out on a little adventure to St. George in search of sunshine, warmth and down time. After our failed sunshine attempt in January, we were eager to get some natural vitamin D.

Once we arrived it was too chilly for swimming,
so we headed for the Go Karts,
where Mark was ALL business.

I learned that I need to be afraid of Lizzie getting her driver's license.

There was just no passing that girl.

Hannah and Sarah were great passengers.

Friday brought some nice sunshine, so we headed for Snow Canyon,

which came highly recommended by neighbors and my entire Primary class.

We went to the sand dunes, where we played,

made sand angels,

got used to being outside again,

made a fashion statement,

and enjoyed the sunshine.

Sarah said,"It's like the beach without the ocean!"

We stayed until everyone was too hungry to go on,

and didn't see any other part of the canyon,

but we did go swimming and get massages.

The next day, as a compromise so we could visit some old friends,

we agreed to head back to Snow Canyon.

We decided if we were going to go on any hikes

they had to happen before the sand dunes.

This picture was taken about 5 minutes after getting out of the car

and about 2 minutes before a storm moved in

with rain, sleet, hail and wind.

So we headed for the only place we all like to shop...the bookstore.

Sarah was very upset we wouldn't take her to the wig store.

I'm not kidding. A wig store right in the mall.

At dinner Hannah informed us

that her favorite part of the trip was the sand dunes.

Everyone agreed.

So the next day, before heading for home, guess where we went...

YES, the sand dunes!

Only this time it was cold and very windy.

We're talking sand storm windy.

We brought home a van full of sand so we wouldn't forget.

So what can you learn from our experience?

The sand dunes in Snow Canyon are a hit from toddlers to teens.
If you want to see any other parts of Snow Canyon with kids, save the dunes for last.
If you want good weather for a vacation, go the same place we go, just a week later. You'll have beautiful weather for sure.

My Soapbox

2010-03-08T10:48:00.001-07:00

I made it through February! This may not be any big deal to some, but for me to make it through, relatively in tact, is a big reason for celebration.

I make no secret that I struggle with depression. Why? Because I feel like keeping it a secret only perpetuates the depression itself and the stigma that goes with it. Also, I've struggled with it for way too long to pretend it doesn't exist.

I bring it up because Blog Segullah is doing a great series on it this month. Here is the link. If you think you are struggling with depression or want to better understand someone who is, I really recommend reading this. It has reminded me that I'm not in this alone, not by a LONG shot. It has also left me feeling more empowered with some new ideas.

Okay, I'm getting off my soapbox now.

Smarty Pants

2010-03-02T13:44:00.001-07:00

When you are a smarty pants, like Lizzie, February is a busy month. It started with the spelling bee, which has become a tradition. Mark got to go this time. He said he couldn't believe the words these kids were rattling off. It's a natural talent for Lizzie, who just missed the cut off for moving on. She said she was glad because she didn't really want to actually study. Yeah, she's smart like that.

February ended with the science fair. Her project involved finding the most effective way to break in pointe shoes. She worked on it for weeks, and other than some minimal help from Mark and me, (picking up supplies, cutting, nagging, etc.,.) she did it on her own. I was so proud of her, especially when she got a terrific grade from a tough (a nice way to put it) teacher.

It was even more fun when she was chosen to move on to the district level with 40 other kids from the middle school and high school. She was a bit disappointed not to be chosen for the regional science fair, but relieved to be finished, while her friends still have some tweaking to do. When I asked her more about it, I realized she was more disappointed to not be able to get out of school for the day and hang out at BYU with a couple of friends.

Lizzie constantly blows me away. She is voluntarily spending Saturday at a science career fair in Orem. I hope she won't mind supporting her parents when she makes it big. She is beautiful, smart, funny, talented, graceful, kind, spiritual, and humble. Now if only I can get her to believe me when I say those things!

Flour Power

2010-02-24T14:28:00.007-07:00

Hannah and Gracie were having a little snack,
so I ran downstairs to print some coupons.

It took a little longer than I thought.

I heard a lot of laughter.

I came upstairs, and...

I'm pretty sure Grace got the whole flour bucket

poured over her head.

Look at all those little hand prints.

I couldn't help laughing...A LOT.

Poor Holly was not pleased

to have been included in this latest escapade.

Let it be known throughout the land...

Hannah and Gracie shall here after be called

The Mischief Makers.

At least the flour bin was close to empty.
p.s. I know what you're thinking:
Yes, my kids spend a lot of time in their pajamas.
You wanna make something of it?

No Nap?

2010-02-24T09:58:00.000-07:00

When I said Hannah had given up her nap, I should have added:

most of the time.

Cabin Fever

2010-02-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

I know something is up when I get the urge to do something crafty. The only explanation I can think of is Cabin Fever. But, you have to admit, this apron is so darn cute (plus, it's reversible). Hannah has decided she is way too cool for bibs, but she's still a pretty messy eater. She also loves to help in the kitchen. I'm hoping this will help. Here she is making french toast:

Hannah and Gracie have their own solutions for Cabin Fever.
This morning, I found them here:

You know it's been a long winter when playing in the dry bath tub is a good time. Well, at least they're adaptable.

Bright Spots

2010-02-18T11:25:00.004-07:00

It has been a rough couple of weeks here at our house. Hannah caught a nasty, croupy bug that required lots of time outside or in a steamy bathroom, usually in the middle of the night. After a few days, Hannah started pulling out of it, but Gracie caught it. Then it rapidly turned into RSV. I'll spare you the blow-by-blow commentary, except to say there is very little sleep going on, actually very little anything except nebulizer treatments and nose wiping.

But amid this chaos, there have been little bright spots that I probably would not have noticed otherwise. Little things that have made life nicer like:

A friend loaning us her nebulizer.
Friends and neighbors helping me get the girls to and from school and dance.
Going to the doctor twice in one day, on the rare day he is actually running on time.
A nurse who took the time to sit with me and go over what I really need to worry about, and what is no big deal.
Going in for chest x-rays and seeing the friendly face of our neighbor, the x-ray tech.
Being able to watch the Olympics 24-hours a day, and believe me, we have.
Finding out our T.V. that's being repaired is still under warranty.
Attending a lovely New Beginnings with Lizzie last night.
A neighbor coming at a moment's notice, late at night, to help Mark give Gracie a blessing, AND his wife sending him with a frozen lasagna.
Mark going in to work a couple of hours late so I could get some sleep and a shower.
This sandwich when I just couldn't eat mac n' cheese or Ramen one more day.
Sarah's school teacher carefully removing Sarah's lip from her braces so I didn't have to take the little ones to the school (AKA the world's largest germ-growing petri dish).
A quick phone call to check-in on us, see if we need anything, or share the latest cough remedy.
Girls' Night Out next Friday.

That list is longer than I imagined when I started. I'm so grateful to live in such a wonderful place where people are happy to help. When I look at that list, I come to the conclusion that life is good.