Photo essay - pumpkin carving

Here are a few shots of our pumpkin massacre on Tuesday night! I had to leave for a meeting, so we only have shots of the process, not the result. I guess we'll light them tomorrow, so you'll have to wait for those photos. 90% chance of rain tomorrow means we might have soggy trick-or-treaters, and soggy pumpkins. Wish us luck!

Amy Boo

Does this cookie make me look fat?

Photography by Hayden

No, don't worry, this isn't a self-deprecating post about my midsection woes. Rather, it's the results of a very unscientific experiment I've been conducting for the last month. The results could make for a good weekend, so keep reading! But first, thanks to Britney for the perfectly frosted cookies featured in today's post. I had 2.5 and it was enough that I don't feel the need to make my own.

About a month ago I decided to see if I could lose a pound or two, or five, by being stricter about my eating habits. I imposed a "no eating after 8:30pm" rule, with only one night a week as a freebie. I did eat fruits and veggies after 8:30, though, because those are pretty much good for you. And it's hard to gorge on carrot sticks. I also started eating less saturated fat, mainly by cutting out a lot of cheese and eggs. My lunch of choice became cinnamon toast on homemade whole wheat bread, with fruit or yogurt as a side. I refused many a treat, and was feeling full of willpower. After about three weeks of this, I didn't lose an ounce. Not one. Maybe a half a pound for one day, but no big improvement. So for the last two weeks I've ignored a lot of my rules. I've had ice cream (not a lot, but some) at 10:00pm, cookies after school, and microwave popcorn. For lunch one day I had a slice of apple pie, a la mode of course, followed by a serving of Cheetos. All in the name of science, I tell you! Now I'm still doing my regular 5 days a week of exercise, with a goal of burning around 400 calories a day, and guess what. I haven't gained an ounce. Not a one.

Moral of the story: if your body is at a pretty healthy weight, or "set point," you don't have to be a food Nazi. Just try to eat pretty much healthy, indulge every once in a while if you want to, and make sure your clothes are fitting well! And if you do go way overboard for a day or two, like on Halloween, just keep to your regular regimen after that and your body will put itself right back to that number on the scale. Or at least mine does. What to do to lose those mythical five pounds? Start running 30 miles a week, stop eating sugar, get liposuction, or -- best of all -- get it out of your head that you have five pounds to lose. Here's to moderation!

Amy

BTW, here's a kind of candid shot taken of me by Hayden this weekend. Just if you were wondering what I looked like. I think I look tired in this one! Yikes!

Diet Coke Day

Hurray, Hurray! It's Diet Coke day! Since I have sensitive teeth (so annoying), and I don't want to develop a caffeine addiction, I let myself have just one (maybe two) sodas a week. Sometimes I go caffeine-free, but sometimes I have a diet coke. The sun is shining, the leaves are shimmying like Spanish dancers in flamenco skirts (that's not a very good metaphor, but I was trying to be original), and I've had a diet coke. With fresh lime. At Qdoba. With my husband, who bought me lunch. Now I will be able to:

a. Resist Halloween candy, since I've had my sweet fix.

b. Clean the bathroom instead of taking a nap.

c. Can some pears.

d. Make pumpkin cookies

e. Go play at the park with kidlets

I hope your afternoon is as delightful as mine. I can't give all the credit to the diet coke, but it does help. Sometimes a peach fresca has the same effect.

Amy

Thursday Thoughts and Fall Photos

You may have thought I'd be all out of thoughts after my wonderings on Wednesday, but it just isn't so. My brain is still whirring away -- full of totally intelligent and timely thoughts. Here's what's on my mind today:

1. This headline: "Pirates Threaten Christmas Shopping." At first I thought it meant that once people bought the horrible movie Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, or whatever it is, they'd no longer be in the mood to go Christmas shopping. But, no, the story is talking about real pirates. They are off the coast of Somalia, and so many ships have been captured (30 in a year) that some freighters are starting to go around the tip of Africa instead, which takes much longer. Who knew that there were still legitimate pirates around. Something to think about, eh?

2. I think I have a crush on Troy Bolton. Not a big one, and hardly a conscious one, but ever since watching HSM II last week with my kids (getting ready for the big HSM III Senior Year flick coming out this weekend), I've had the song "Bet On It" in my head. I walk around the house singing it and doing some pretty sweet Troy Bolton-esque dance moves. I'm no Gabriella (thank goodness!), but until that song gets out of my head, who knows? Maybe I'll put up a poster. I liked Zac in Hairspray too. I'm not gonna stop, not gonna stop until I get my shot . . .

3. Some people (not me, really) like to joke about what their name would be if they were in an adult film. I'm not into that kind of thing. What I'm interested in is what name I'm going to go by as a grandparent. My sister's in-laws are coming into town, and she's always talking about Goomba and Papa. My other sister's kids' great-grandparents go by Poppy and Gigi. Some people have Nana's or Nanny's; Kyle's mom likes to go by G-ma. My mom tries to be Grandma K, but it hasn't really caught on yet. One of Kyle's nephews used to call his Dad "Bonkers." Me? Well, the whole subject kind of makes me squirm. Can anyone think of a fun sophisticated grandma name that doesn't sound, well, grandma-ish? How about Amy? Can they call me Amy?

Since you've humored me this long, I might as well post the photos of us at pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and the like. Fall fun! But no donuts were found. Alas and alack. I did try to convince one woman that her farm needed some, but she wasn't going for it. Kyle's in charge of our ward's harvest festival tomorrow, so more pics to come! It's like a huge Halloween preview, with spook alley, carnival games, trunk or treat, chili dinner, etc. Fun for him!

I love the look on Kara's face and her wispy hair blowing in the wind.

Hayden's favorite part was definitely the hay maze.

Jillian shows us her best spooky face.

This pumpkin is not ideal, the Bean pronounced.

Kara chases her cousin Kjersten through the corn maze. It was a perfect size for families.

Ta ta!

Amy

Just Wondering

Why does Kara poop exactly one hour into her nap at least three times a week?

Why does Hayden sing loudly in the bathroom that shares a wall with Kara's crib when she's sleeping?

When do we quit daylight savings time and fall back? It's pretty dark at 7:00am and I'm having a hard time waking up.

Why does cheese have so much saturated fat? And why do I like it so much?

Why do we have to decide if health care is a right or a responsibility?

Why don't I have a good book to read?

Why am I resorting to feeding my family corn dogs for dinner? And no, I will not be eating one.

Why is my hair so dang short?

Why does having babies stretch out your stomach? For life? To the point where you're hoping plastic surgery makes great advances and becomes very inexpensive and non-life-threatening.

Why do my kids come home from school so dang early on Wednesdays? (In the 1 o'clock hour)

How does Hayden manage to get more crumbs on the floor than on the table or his plate?

Why do I not mind folding colors, but hate folding whites? (I'm talking laundry here.)

Why am I sitting here typing on such a beautiful day?

Just wondering.

Amy

Right Now

It's raining outside and a bit squishy.

The treadmill is calling my name, since I didn't get up in time to run in the dark rain this morning.

I look really, really scary since I haven't showered or anything. Yikes!

Kara's feeling tired and snuggly. She's going down for a nap as soon as Hayden gets on the bus.

I think I botched my cookies. Never bake with a 14-month old as your assistant.

My bed is made, but Kyle's laundry is still there from Friday. Curious.

This ironing pile is threatening to take over the chair, then the floor, then the whole room! Anybody want to come take care of this for me?

Hayden is happily drawing. He wants to draw Obi-wan Kenobi, so I should try to find him a picture to copy.

And that's what's happening right now. What's up where you are?

Amy

Oops

Guess who's not rocking the vote this year? That would be me, shirking my civic duty. I missed new voter registration. It closed this Tuesday. Oops! You see, to vote I would have had to get my driver's license changed to reflect my new state. And to do that I would have had to take the written test. And to do that I would have had to read the little booklet of driving laws. And I was too lazy. Shame on me! I was just getting all geared up to do it, though, when I heard that registration was closed. And I'm pretty sure it's too late to get an absentee ballot from Michigan, so I'm out of luck. I'm trying to console myself by saying that I was completely undecided on who to vote for, and that the debates didn't make things any clearer for me. But I am bummed. I won't get my cool "I voted" sticker and my kids will probably notice. One or two of them always went with me to vote.

Another oops goes to the BYU Cougars, who stunk it up tonight against TCU. I watched the first half, but am now blogging because I can't stand to watch them play so poorly. I hope they can recover enough of their season to get a good bowl bid! I'm still a fan!

And last but not least, Hayden said something funny a few days ago. He was talking about how everyone in our family needs a "food" name. He's Pea, Jillian's The Bean, Kara is Asparagus, and so Kyle and I need a name too. He told me I could pick mine (I'm still thinking about it), but that Kyle should be known as "Kyle Baloney." I thought that was quite appropriate. Hee hee.

We're off to go apple picking and pumpkin choosing this weekend. I'm hoping we stumble upon some fresh donuts and cider. They were plentiful in Michigan, but I haven't heard of any here. Here is a picture of the kids four years ago at the pumpkin patch. Look how blond Hayden was!

Amy

Oh, and in case you were wondering I had a perfectly normal conversation with that same woman the other day. All of your kind comments and advice must have helped.

I am friend-making challenged

I guess things were too easy in Michigan. So many friends within a close range of my house. So many kids right outside the front door, frolicking near the yellow slide. A church congregation made up entirely of young families in graduate school. I arrived, people knocked on my door bearing warm hellos and goodies (a full fried chicken dinner the first night we moved in!), and I had friends. Easy peasy (lemon squeezy). Now I've lived in Oregon for nearly four months and still do not have a friend who calls me regularly. My sister Shauna, although my friend, is exempt from all examples of my dorky friend-making woes because we were friends BEFORE we moved here. And if I didn't have her, I would really feel friendless. Please note that I don't feel depressed about my situation. I'm just analyzing it in an effort to make some changes and get some friends.

So, onto my "differently-abled" friend-making self. I've always thought of myself as a friendly person, and I've always been able to make friends rather easily. Since moving here we've had about 4 different families over for dinner, dessert, or games. I've gone to several church and community functions, and I've even invited over 7 different children for my kids to play with. All good things, right? So what's my problem? There is one woman I met through church. Her kids had swimming lessons the same time as my kids and we talked every day during them. We've tried to do a few things with her family, but they haven't reciprocated any invitations. They are busy, and our kids' ages don't match up entirely, so I don't think they don't like us. The problem, I think, is that somehow, whenever I talk to her, stupid stuff comes out of my mouth. It's like I subconsciously think of the dumbest thing I could say and then spout it off. Nothing racist or inappropriate, just something that doesn't make much sense. It's driving me crazy! And so every time we talk I give myself a little pep talk. "Okay, here's your chance. Just say some normal stuff and then it will be fine. Ask about her kids. Talk about Halloween. You can do this!" Yet, still, something awkward happens.

I feel like I'm back in high school, trying to figure out if a guy likes me. You know how it was. You'd have a conversation, then spend HOURS analyzing every word of it with a friend. Then you'd think about the next time you might possibly run into the guy, or you'd figure out a way to run into the guy, or you'd lay on the floor listening to Chicago or Journey imagining holding his hand. Don't tell me I'm the only one who did that!

So I may be exaggerating this whole thing just a teensy tiny bit for the sake of entertainment. Shameless, I know. But I think there really is an underlying issue here. I've been taken out of my friend comfort zone and I don't like it. I have plenty of nice acquaintances, but what I really want is a few more friends. You know, the kind that invite you to do things, that call you on the phone, that stop by your house just to hang out, that include you in their social gatherings. Hey, I know it will happen, and I'm certainly happy enough while I'm waiting, but it is a little strange that things seem so hard.

To all you friends from Michigan, Boston, Utah, and Rexburg, thanks for being there! You are proof that at one point, I knew how to make friends. I'm glad I've been able to keep them too!

And now, a few words from Bette Midler's "Wind Beneath My Wings" -- keeping with the cheesy song theme --

It might have appeared to go unnoticed,
but I've got it all here in my heart.
I want you to know I know the truth, of course I know it.
I would be nothing without you.

Did you ever know that you're my hero?
You're everything I wish I could be.
I could fly higher than an eagle,
'cause you are the wind beneath my wings.

In the words of my friends Amy K and Kelli, "You Rock!"

Amy

Really Really Ridiculously Good-Looking

My fam, sans moi, that is. BTW, I am totally loving the word sans lately. For all you non-French speakers out there (though I can hardly count myself as a French speaker), it means "without." But sans sounds so much cooler. You should all use it once or twice and see how cool you feel. Then report back. End tangent.

Before we left the state shaped like a mitten and surrounded by Great Lakes, we had some family photos taken by this talented lady at some gardens not far from our house. I wanted to post a few of my favorite shots. I do have to say, though, that the humidity was not doing great things for my hair, which was (surprise, surprise) cut too short just days earlier by yet another stylist with cotton balls in her ears. Let it be known that I am GROWING MY HAIR OUT (I soooo miss my ponytail) and I will not stand for any willy-nilly cutting. I may have Kyle trim the back for a few months because I am seriously afraid of women wielding scissors. They do not listen to me. End rant.

Okay, then, on to the pictures. And one more note, (no, I am not good at staying on task tonight. I'm feeling rather fiesty! Kyle's out of town and I've got some Mike and Ike's and a chick flick to occupy my time. And I haven't cleaned the bathrooms this week! I'm letting loose, I tell you.)
I forgot my camera today and thus missed documenting Kara's first carousel ride. She had a very serious look on her face while riding the "neigh neigh", but was saying "ooh" by then end. What a champ. Happy weekend! Go Cougars!

Le Weekend

I always loved learning French words which were exactly the same as English (American) words. Le weekend is one of those. Also le boyfriend and les bleu jeans. So practical. Why couldn't the whole language be that way?

My weekend was fleeting. I can't believe it is Monday already. I'm not sure what I'm doing to keep busy, but I guess it's working, because the weeks are ticking along at a rapid rate. Still no local friends calling me, but thanks to all the out-of-towners who make my phone ring on a semi-regular basis.

I enjoyed General Conference, as I'm sure many of you did. I find it terribly hard to concentrate with kids around. For one session I shut myself in my bedroom with a pile of ironing and listened while pressing. It was very peaceful. I will have to read and watch again to make sure I heard everything, but I'm glad that the gist of it wasn't "The world is ending now. Too bad for you if you haven't prepared." And we are slowly but surely getting prepared. : )

The kids had school off on Friday, so we hung out at the house and got out the Halloween decorations. I don't have too many of those, I realized. I am pleased to say that my Halloween costume making/gathering session is almost over for the year. I just have to sew a satchel for Hayden's Indiana Jones costume. So here's a little preview to get you motivated. I have to admit I have it easy this year, which is good, since I exerted all my Halloween sewing creativity on the calendar. Luckily it's a big hit with the kids!

Supergirl and Indiana Jones combine forces to save the world. I got J's costume for $1.99 on clearance, and H had all the stuff for his, sans bomber jacket. He can wear the jacket other places, though, so we splurged and spent $30. He can't wait to have his fake little 5 o'clock shadow put on.

Cute Kara is going as a fluffy bunny. I love her complexion with this costume. Jillian wore it when she was one. One of the ears came untacked, but I might leave it because she looks extra cute with an ear flopping down. J gets into the groove of being a superhero.
Indiana Hayden strikes a pose, and brandishes his whip.

We have beautiful weather today after a weekend of rain. I hope it sticks around for a few days. I need to go apple-picking, find some cornstalks and pumpkins for the front of our house, and go on some runs. I came home drenched after my 7-miler on Saturday. Guess I'd better get used to that. Fall is here!

Amy

Thursday Thoughts

Several things are on my mind today. The first is this NY Times article about a Nebraska Safe Haven law meant to protect babies. It seems the language of the law says you can safely abandon children up to age 19 at hospitals, police stations, and other "safe havens" in Nebraska. Other states have similar laws to help alleviate so-called "dumpster" babies, which are usually abandoned by young mothers who have kept their pregnancies secret. One father, whose wife passed away, abandoned 9 of his 10 children. Wow. So if you don't want your kids any more, just drive them to Nebraska and hand them off. I feel sadness and worry for those parents who feel like their only option is abandonment. I feel even worse for the kids -- especially those older children, who know they're being abandoned. I'm sure Nebraska is going to fix the law, but it is a thought-provoking topic. I've been thinking seriously about becoming a foster parent once my youngest child is 4 or 5. That's years away, but I think it's an important thing to do.

Next, I read this article in the Reader's Digest magazine during breakfast this morning. It's about a NYC mother who let her 9 year-old ride the subway home alone. She wasn't neglecting him; rather, he wanted to see if he could figure out public transportation and make it home by himself. The premise of the article is that we are too fearful for our children. The things we used to do as kids -- run the streets all day in summer, walk to friends' homes far away, ride our bikes to the grocery store -- aren't very common anymore. I needed to read this article. I'm trying to loosen up and be less paranoid. I even let Jillian enter a public restroom by herself. It was a big moment for me. I was checking out groceries in a nearby line and could see the bathroom door, and Jillian couldn't wait. I've even stopped imagining that the children are being kidnapped out of their bedrooms at night, for the most part. I think parents today need to be very aware of the influences on their kids, and protect them accordingly, but kids also need independence and to grow up without fearing everything, and everyone, around them. Let me know what you think.

TA DA! It's done! The Halloween countdown calendar (design borrowed from Pottery Barn Kids -- please don't sue me) I started in September of 2007 is finished, hung, and stuffed with Halloween goodies. My crafty friend Anna got all the supplies and figured out patterns, and a few friends got together to work on them. I quickly got left in the dust, mostly because Kara was a newborn and I was kind of busy, so I'm so happy that I actually finished this project! It involved a lot of hand and machine sewing, and more thread-switching than I've ever done before. And it's going to be proudly displayed every October until I die. : )

The finished project, except the bottom row. I was backed up against a wall and couldn't fit it all in.

Just to show you some of the detail. I loved doing the skeleton's bones because I learned a new stitch, which I have now forgotten.

Bonus picture: Kara trying to raid the fridge. Too bad you can't hear her little grunt as she tries to pry the door open.

What's on your mind?

Amy