Monday, November 1, 2010


Did you know that many of Utah’s museums are FREE on the first Monday of the month? It’s true! Usually, we stay home on Mondays and catch up after the weekend. I try to never make doctor appointments on Monday-- too many people try to 'wait out' the weekend and then call in to the doctor on Monday. This is an exception to the 'stay home on Monday' rule. We will be choosing a different museum to go to every month. It is a great field trip for the kids and exciting to see something new. What is your favorite museum?

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Sunday Song: Over the Rainbow

This Sunday Song is for a special friend, Monica. She has been my friend for many years. Monica blogs about her family at Monica the Mighty Read her there and be warned: whether you are laughing so hard you are crying or crying so hard your heart breaks, you'll need tissues.
This song, Over the Rainbow, is for Monica's angel daughter, Taleah. I remember Taleah. Hugs~

Friday, July 30, 2010

Long time, no see

It has been a while... Life has been crazy. I'm going to try to catch you up on the important things over the next week.
Remember my post about the Ragnar Race my son ran? How I told myself I couldn't do it? Last week I was visiting with a neighbor who told me she had signed up to have a team at the 2011 Ragnar Race. She had most of the team spots open. So I signed up! I gave her a check the next day. (Oh, I just realized she hasn't cashed that check yet... I'd better balance my checkbook soon. It isn't cheap to run the Ragnar!) Anyway, I've started training already, though it just might kill me. I dusted off the treadmill, which hasn't been used much since Jared ran the Ragnar. I ignored the backpack full of weights that he would wear while running on the treadmill... I was lucky to survive the 15 minutes of running without passing out.
My neighbor ran the Ragnar with friends this year. Their team name was Fat kids win at teeter totter... I'll let you know as soon as I know what our team name will be this year!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Sunday Song

This week's Sunday Song is from John Canaan: Let Him Heal Your Heart
No matter what challenges we are facing, Christ can heal our hearts.
Hugs~

Friday, July 16, 2010

busy moms

Wow, this week has been incredibly busy... so busy. I'll tell you about it... just as soon as I have a minute. I'm running out the door (again). Until then, read Sherri Dew's article: Are we not all Mothers?

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Sunday Song: If the Savior Stood Beside Me

Our Sunday Song is If the Savior Stood Beside Me 
This was chosen because of a particularly difficult discussion I had this week. We need to be very careful about the things we say and do. Too often our words and actions can be hurtful... If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do?

Friday, July 9, 2010

Ogden City Parks


Kids bored? Need something to do that doesn't cost money? Did you know Ogden has 40 parks and playgrounds? We've had fun exploring parks we haven't been to before and revisiting some we have. These pictures are from Bues Pond Park. The playground isn't great and has no shade, but the trail around the pond is fun to walk. There is a sign saying not to feed bread to the ducks (because seagulls will attack the baby ducks to get the bread).

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Sunken Ships

I've been working eight hour shifts this week. My kids decided to entertain themselves and make paper boats while I slept in. We have sunken ships and sea creatures.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

See saw or Teeter totter?


When I told people we were making a see saw, they'd ask, "you mean a teeter totter?" Whether you call it a see saw or a teeter totter, we made one for the kids! I was searching online for fun things we could make ourselves this summer and found this see saw project 
The directions are good, but there are a few things I'll mention: 1. be sure to buy the lugnuts that go with the bolts (who knew?) 2. it took 3- 40# bags of concrete for us to fill the tire- this will depend on the size of your tire, but it does take a lot of concrete. 3. We got the tire free at a tire store, just by asking for it.
We painted it, which cost us an extra $20. The kids picked out the color (it was the only one of hundreds they could agree on!). With the orange color and tire, it looks like a construction zone!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Bowling Pictures

I'm sharing our pictures from bowling! It is a new month, so be sure to print your new bowling passes. This is at the Ogden Fat Cats. We had lots of fun!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Sunday Song: The Pledge of Allegiance

Since today is the Fourth of July, the Sunday Song is: The Pledge of Allegiance.
I want to share this scripture with you:
2 Nephi 1:7 Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.
God is talking about our country. It shall be a land of Liberty Beautiful. I pray God will continue to bless us. I am so grateful to live in this free land, bought with the blood of my forefathers and all who have fought for our country. Thank you.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Holistic LDS Living Conference

I had a great time at the Holistic LDS Living Conference. There were so many classes, if you missed it, you can get classes and handouts downloads from their website. I learned much from the classes I was able to go to, but I wasn't able to go to many. I plan to look at each speaker's website to see what information I can learn there.
I believe strongly in learning from those around us. It amazes me how often I have an experience that mirrors someone else's. Or when I hear of someone going through something that happened to me earlier in life. If we don't share and learn from each other, and the only way we learn is by doing, then we will have some very painful experiences that could have been avoided by looking at the example of others.
More later on this... I promised the kids a trip to the skating rink and they are now ready to go...

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Enough to Drive me Crazy

I hate running out of things. It drives me crazy when I am cooking, use the last of the package, go to the cupboard to get more and there isn’t more! Or when I use the last of bathroom or craft supplies… stuff you need, as soon as you run out of it. I stock up on items as much as I can and love it when someone says “we are out” and I can say, “there is more on the shelf downstairs”.
More than running out of something, though, I hate not being able to find what I know we have! This has spurred some housecleaning in the last couple of weeks. I know there is stuff around here, somewhere! I just need to find it. Slowly, digging out, cleaning up, getting rid of some stuff, organizing others and taking lots of deep breathes.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Cancer Stinks

Today I’m mad and sad. My neighbor just lost her brother to esophageal cancer. Another neighbor just had surgery (again) to try and remove his cancer. And a dear friend, Tonya Jamois (former ICAN President) just got diagnosed with breast cancer. She started a blog called Pink and Plaid Warrior about her journey.
I was at the park when I overheard a little boy, maybe nine or ten years old, say, "I like to burn the hair off Barbies and pretend they have cancer." I'm still trying to wrap my brain around that one. Does his mom (or another relative) have cancer and this is his way of dealing with it? Or is he a real-life, straight off the big screen movie Toy Story, toy torturing Sid? I don't know, but it freaked me out.
Why can't we find the cure for this disease? It can't come soon enough...

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Sunday Song: He'll Carry You

Our Sunday Song comes from Hillary Weeks: He'll Carry You.
I recently heard a man discussing  the Parable of the Good Samaritan. He talked about how it is really a story about Christ and all that He does for us. He also mentioned the word beast, in some translations, means creature or man. The scripture could infer that Christ, Himself, carried the injured man... just as He carries each of us.  

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Chocolate Peanut-Butter No-Bake Cookies

I recently found this yummy recipe for Chocolate Peanut-Butter No-Bake Cookies. My family loves these. They don't take long to make. I have one suggestion: gather all the ingredients and measure them out--especially the peanut butter.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 tablespoons cocoa
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 3 cups oatmeal
  • Waxed paper

Directions

In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk. Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, until cooled and hardened.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

A Manti trip and a Dream

Saturday we drove down to Manti to see the LDS Manti Pageant. I was surprised at how empty the town was. We’ve gone before and I remember people playing at the park and walking the streets. We didn’t see many people out at all. We went to the craft store and park. Then over to the church for a turkey dinner (they raise turkeys in Manti). I stood in line for a few minutes, made a mad dash for seats, but in reality, there was little competition. Since the pageant doesn’t start until dark, we went back to the hotel to hang out.
The pageant was beautiful. The kids were impressed by the volcano action. I loved the angels and the part where Mary, a young mother who dies on the plains, comes back to get her husband when he is shot by an arrow. That scene is enough to make anyone cry.
I had a funny dream while in Manti. I was at a neighbor’s house, checking their mail for them while they were out of town. I was making sure everything was okay when another neighbor starting chatting. She asked me something about the neighbors, but I couldn’t remember the names of the people whose house I was watching. I was totally embarrassed. Then I see a door inside the house open and close. I ask, “oh, they are home now?” They invite me in and we chat for a minute before the husband gets up, and grabs some paperwork and a baggie of pills. He says, “I am conducting a study on how well this drug will help people with memory loss from drug use early in life. I’m going to sign you up. Here are your drugs.” He writes my name on the clipboard.
I say, “I’ve never used drugs. Will it still help?”
His reply “I think it is obvious you’ve been involved with drugs from your memory problems. I’m signing you up.”
I say, “Don’t you need some background information?”
His reply, “I don’t think that will be necessary.”
I’m upset that he is doing everything wrong, but I really want the drugs (how’s that for a not being a drug user?!) so go along with it. Hysterical!
I woke up to husband knocking on the door (due to our large family, we had girls in one room and boys in another). 7:45… you’ve got to be kidding. Groan. I open the door – not! The deadbolt won’t open all the way. I shake the door, move the deadbolt in and out, but it won’t move all the way over. I go to the window and notice it is a full window, you can’t open it. I shout through the window that the door is stuck. Jay is looking at me like I’m an idiot. Seriously, the lock won’t open. He wiggles the door from the outside and I try again. No luck. He goes to the office, who promptly calls me. I explain and again I get the “are you serious?!” treatment. He instructs me to do the same thing Jay and I just did, again. It doesn’t work, again. The manager says he’s coming to the room. I hurry into some clothes. He starts pushing and shoving the door. I turn the deadbolt and VIOLA- it works. I tell him it is a good thing there wasn’t a fire. That would have been bad. He promises to change the lock. Seems like I can’t go anywhere without having some kind of problem with the hotel. Rolling eyes.
We leave Manti rather quickly. We still had lots of snacks for the trip, mostly gluten-free stuff but not all. We did stop by a McDonalds on the way home for breakfast. My kids hardly ever eat breakfast out and really didn’t know what to get. One had egg mcmuffin, two had a cinnamon roll and one had nothing. I didn’t bother to get anything. There isn’t much on their menu that is gluten-free. I’m trying really hard but sometimes I forget...
We went to dinner at my sister-in-law’s house. My nephew cooked the steaks perfectly. There were baked potatoes and a yummy salad. For dessert, I brought ice cream cones. I had wanted something I could just serve. I didn’t want something with lots of prep time, since I wasn’t sure what time we would be back from Manti. I scooped out ice cream cones for everyone, then fixed one for myself.
I. ate. the. whole. thing. without. thinking. about. it.
I didn’t even realize I’d done it until we got home and the kids asked for one more cone. I fixed them one and thought, “I want another one. WAIT. I ate an ice cream cone?! What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking!”
Waaaa! Where is my baggie of memory pills!

Monday, June 21, 2010

Ragnar Race


Jared ran the Ragnar Wasatch Back Race Friday and Saturday. Yes, it took two days to finish this relay race. There were 12 runners who ran three legs of the 188 mile race. My son was runner #11. He ran a total of 14.6 miles. His first leg was straight up hill, his second relatively flat around a lake and the last was straight downhill and off road. He appears to have run the race without any injuries or problems. I’m really proud of him.
I have never considered myself the athletic type. I much prefer curling up with a book to attending an exercise class. When my son said he was going to run the Ragnar, I had to look it up to know what it was. He had only a two week notice that he was running the race. It was out of my comfort zone for me to let him do this, but felt that if he wanted to, then he should do it. My next thought was, “Better him than me. I could never do that.” I’m not sure where this came from, since I really dislike the words, “I can’t”. I often see that as a challenge to find out how much I can do. This brings me to the uncomfortable place between knowing I need to do this and not really wanting to. I have a friend who is encouraging me to train for and run a 5k… maybe… I can.  

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sunday Song: Still My Daddy

Sunday Song: Still My Daddy Happy Father's Day! Hug yours if he is near, call him if he isn't. If he's in heaven, send a message to Jesus to pass along. 

I'm also sharing this Mormon Message about a special Dad: A Father Indeed

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Fathers and Leadership

This Father's Day weekend, I'll share this counsel from Ezra Taft Benson:
With love in my heart for the fathers in Israel, may I suggest ten specific
ways that fathers can give spiritual leadership to their children:

1. Give father's blessings to your children. Baptize and confirm your
children. Ordain your sons to the priesthood. These will become spiritual
highlights in the lives of your children.

2. Personally direct family prayers, daily scripture reading, and weekly
family home evenings. Your personal involvement will show your children how
important these activities really are.

3. Whenever possible, attend Church meetings together as a family. Family
worship under your leadership is vital to your children's spiritual welfare.

4. Go on daddy-daughter dates and father-and-sons' outings with your
children. As a family, go on campouts and picnics, to ball games and
recitals, to school programs, and so forth. Having Dad there makes all the
difference.

5. Build traditions of family vacations and trips and outings. These
memories will never be forgotten by your children.

6. Have regular one-on-one visits with your children. Let them talk about
what they would like to. Teach them gospel principles. Teach them true
values. Tell them you love them. Personal time with your children tells them
where Dad puts his priorities.

7. Teach your children to work, and show them the value of working toward a
worthy goal. Establishing mission funds and education funds for your
children shows them what Dad considers to be important.

8. Encourage good music and art and literature in your homes. Homes that
have a spirit of refinement and beauty will bless the lives of your children
forever.

9. As distances allow, regularly attend the temple with your wife. Your
children will then better understand the importance of temple marriage and
temple vows and the eternal family unit.

10. Have your children see your joy and satisfaction in service to the
Church. This can become contagious to them, so they, too, will want to serve
in the Church and will love the kingdom.

Come, Listen to a Prophet's Voice, p. 46

Friday, June 18, 2010

He's reading without being told to

I can't tell you how excited I was to look over and see John reading a book in the car. His two older brothers have always been readers. I never had to tell them to read, they always carried a book with them. John has only recently discovered that reading is a gateway path to learn whatever you want to, go where ever you want to and to help you learn to be who ever you want to be.
He is reading the Magic Tree House book series. The have a great website called Passport to Adventure to encourage kids to read. There are activities for kids to learn from at their Teachers@Random page. Use the books to teach geography, history, spelling and more.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Job Done!

What is a mother to do? After nagging Jo to fold and put away the kitchen towels, this is how they are put away. She claims I didn't say "fold them" just "put them away". I'm not folding them. This is how they will stay. We'll call it "casual living".

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Made our own Chalkboard

We’ve added a fun new thing to our school room: a chalkboard! We bought three pieces of sheet metal and some wood molding from the local hardware store. We painted these with chalkboard paint that I found. We mounted these on the wall, then covered the edges of the sheet metal with the wood molding. It looks great and the kids love it! Not only can they draw on it, they can also use their alphabet magnets on it. Say good-bye to those little magnets all over your kitchen floor -- they are happily on the chalkboard! Hooray!