According to Amy

Only at the Veggie House

2012-02-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

One night this week we had Indian food for dinner. Thanks to Trader Joe's, we can have an Indian dinner that is just as good as you might eat in a restaurant. On the menu was basmati rice, naan bread, masala sauce with chicken and sweet potato, and vegetables. The veggies were an organic frozen mix from TJ's. The mix included carrots, peas, corn, and beans. Hayden happily ate everything on his plate -- except the sweet potatoes and the veggie mix. When I told him he could skip the sweet potatoes if he ate the veggies, he declined, informing me that he wasn't going to eat any terrible canned vegetables. When I informed him that the vegetables were actually frozen, not canned, and that he had never eaten a canned pea in his life, he continued to complain. "Why would you ever make me eat these things? I just want some fresh vegetables," he moaned. And on and on it went. Kyle and I were smirking on the sidelines as Hayden berated those "terrible" frozen vegetables and asked for a salad. In the end, I think he ate some of them. Perhaps I should put him on a raw food diet? Or feed him a can of peas.

Birthday Wishlist

2012-02-10T13:47:00.000-08:00

Dearest Hubs,

You asked what I had in mind for my birthday. First of all, it's hard to believe it's almost my birthday. I should start getting excited. Maybe if children stopped throwing up. I don't throw up, I just get a really bad stomachache for a day. I am not sure what is worse. Well, throwing up is probably worse. Maybe making a birthday wishlist will make me feel better.

1. If I were to get anything for my 35th birthday this year, I would want a trip to England and France. The three things we would do are visit large country homes, visit art museums, and eat. But since that's not going to happen . . .

2. How about an iPad 2? Or a rain check for an iPad 2, since the iPad 3 is coming out in March and the 2 will probably go down in price. See, I can be economical. Oh, still not in the budget? Well then . . .

3. I've been wanting a Silhouette Cameo for a few months. I think it would be a fun cutting tool to have for the whole family. It's a decent price on Amazon.com. My only worry is maybe I won't use it enough. And it is almost $30o . . .

4. So maybe that photo-editing software I've been wanting? Or help putting my shelves on the wall? Or the old standby - money to go shopping. What? That's what I always ask for? I know. I'm predictable.

Well, whatever you come up with, I'm sure it will be great. Not tour-of-Europe great, but that's okay. Maybe I can sleep in and dream of Europe. : )

Love,

Your Wife

Taste of Tuesday - Potatoes!

2012-02-07T15:44:00.000-08:00

I love potatoes. Maybe because I grew up so close to Idaho. Or maybe because they are so cheap and delicious. This recipe came from Martha Stewart Everyday Food. You can find it on her site here. Of course, I altered it just a wee bit. This recipe is a perfect side dish, making a kitchen staple more elegant. Here's my version of:

Muffin Pan Potato Gratins

Butter or nonstick spray to grease muffin tins
3-4 medium yukon gold potatoes (or red, or white, or russet)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
half-and-half

optional: rosemary, garlic powder, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush 6 - 12 standard muffin cups with butter or spray with nonstick spray. (I suggest two muffin cups per person.)
Thinly slice potatoes. You can use a mandolin, a knife, or a food processor. You want the slices quite thin, and ideally just the right diameter to fill the circumference of the muffin tin. Choose your potatoes wisely. This recipe does not work as well if you can't layer the potatoes just right.
Place 2-3 slices in each cup and season with salt and pepper. Continue adding potatoes, seasoning every few slices, until cups are filled. Pour 1 tablespoon half and half over each (adds just 20 calories per cup). If you want to add any herbs or garlic powder, do it with the salt and pepper in layers as well.
Bake until potatoes are golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife, 30 to 35 minutes. Run a thin knife around each gratin. Place a baking sheet or large plate over pan and invert to release gratins. Flip right side up and serve.
Optional -- sprinkle 1 T Parmesan cheese over every cup for the last 5 minutes of baking time.

Other ideas: use Gruyere cheese, alternate regular and sweet potatoes, add in some bacon crumbles, etc.

This easy and versatile recipe has become a staple in my kitchen. It is also a handy way to make a few potatoes go far.

Here are some poorly-lit photos. Yeah, I need a better camera if I really want to do anything justice on the blog.

Ready to go in the oven. Notice how mine are not laying flat? That's because I didn't choose my potatoes wisely! But I only had three left, so I just made them work. Learn from my mistakes.

Kyle ate all of the goop out of the pan. While saying "mmm, mmm."

Hang on! Let me take a picture before we eat! Here's the finished product.

And it snowed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Kate loved it!

Artist in Residence

2012-02-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

I am currently a patron to a budding artiste. She doesn't keep her room very clean, but I think that's her artistic temperament coming through, you know, creativity and all that. She's been taking art lessons for a few years now, and she loves to draw, paint, sketch, and create. I got her this book on felt crafting for Christmas (for $5) and she has made so many projects from it. Here are some of her recent paintings:

A van Gogh-inspired landscape. This one is often hanging in our hallway. I'd like to frame it, but I'm not sure if it can be taken off the canvas frame. I need to take it into a framing store and see. I think it would look even better, and more professional, in a frame.

A cake painting inspired by these. We'll hang this one when it's someone's birthday. Conveniently, it's Jillian's birthday in about 10 days.

A little puppy painting. The only dog Jillian will ever have in her room long-term. So cute, huh?

It's so interesting to see this talent develop. Even though I'm creative and artistic, I can't draw at all. Jillian's ability wows me. My grandmother was a painter, and I have a very talented brother, so I'm excited to watch Jillian continue to learn and get even better.

Fashion Friday - Dress Down

2012-02-03T23:17:00.000-08:00

I picked up this dress on (you'll never guess) a Target clearance rack in the fall. After I washed it, dried it, and ironed it, it ended up a wee bit short for church wear. So I challenged myself to wear it a different way. Here's the result. When I find a slip with an edge that can show (crochet or thicker lace), I'll try to wear the dress as a dress. We'll see. I felt like the scarf ended up making me look a bit like a flight attendant, but I wanted the outfit to have a pop of color. In the end, I didn't have enough time to work the outfit just right, but I still like the overall look.

I needed a vest this morning when I took the girls to school. It was a nippy 39 degrees.

New Year, New Self

2012-01-31T20:41:00.000-08:00

Whoa, January 31st already? And I haven't told you about my mantra for the year. Well, since I haven't made time to fancify it up and make a free printable in six different color combinations, you're just going to get it in good ol' HTML. I think. (Drumroll??) My mantra for 2012 is:

Be Your Best Self

Yep, that's what I'm trying to do. I'm going to roll out an upgrade and become Amy version Awesome, or something like that. Here are some specifics:

Body
- Be fit. Not a certain weight, not a certain size, just fit. Clothes fit well, body feels good, always exercising and being active, trying new things.
- Eat well. Less sugar, more vegetables, more whole grains. Eat responsibly and organic within budget restraints. Take vitamins as needed.
- Smile. Be happy. Give hugs. Be more affectionate where needed.

Mind
- Learn to meditate. Take time to feel the quiet and calm.
- Read good books. Put down ones that aren't.
- Less TV, more games.
- Write something.

Spirit
- Read the Book of Mormon every day in 2012.
- Memorize several B of M scriptures (I've already done four!).
- Continue with meaningful prayer, fasting, and scripture study.
- Read other gospel literature.
- Attend the temple 6 times.

Relationships
- Be unselfish in marriage. Meet more of Kyle's needs.
- Cultivate better friendships with children. Have more talks. Play more.
- Continue to encourage relationships with extended family.
- Be a good friend.

Other
- Do 2 family photo books.
- Have a wonderful garden this year, use produce well.
- Take several day trips to Oregon sites with kids/family.
- Go on a camping trip.
- Finish sewing/organizing projects

I try to think about my mantra every morning. This works especially well when I'm driving home from the gym. I think about how I'm going to be my best self on that particular day, with every interaction and task. So far it has made the days pretty good. I'm hoping it will become a habit that will help me to improve and be a better person throughout the year.

How about you? Any phrase or mantra for the year? Any goals?

Fashion Friday -- Two For One!

2012-01-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

(Note from last post: Things are better with that child. Thanks for your kind words and offers of prayer! I know it's going to be a long time until we work out all the kinks, but I will continue to try my best and take each day as it comes. Whew!)

Last Sunday: Speaking in church. The talk went very well. And so did the outfit. An exact repeat from my brother's wedding in November. Did I ever blog about that?? I should. It was fun. And here's what I wore:

(Pretend that I took these pictures before Kate sat on my lap for two hours.)

I absolutely love a dress with pockets.

The dress is really more of a spring/summer weight, but it worked for a sunny fall wedding, and I think it still works now.

My favorite pumps make an appearance!

Later in the week, on a lovely January day, I wanted to try out my new jeggings with my riding boots. I got the jeggings on clearance at Old Navy for $5.49. They work well with the tall boots because they don't bunch at all under the boot. So comfy! I added a sequined top from LOFT, but had to put on a cardigan (also from LOFT) because it was a bit nippy outside while I was playing hopscotch with Kara and Kate.

This was the only decent photo Kara took. Holding the camera, keeping it still, and pushing the button was just a bit too hard for her.

Detail of tee. I really love this shirt from the back. It has ribbons that keep it closed and form a sort of keyhole opening. I wanted to show you, but I just couldn't get my camerawoman to cooperate. Good thing she's cute!

And this is what happens when your biggest sister uses you as her living doll. Dress up time!

Happy weekend. Have fun being fashionable! Or wear your pre-jammy-jammies all weekend!

Epic Fail

2012-01-25T22:25:00.001-08:00

I have a couple ideas for great fun posts, one of which I was going to do today, but that's not going to happen. I think I'll share with you instead how I'm feeling right now. One of my children got exceptionally mad at me tonight for something trivial. (It won't take a lot of guesswork to figure out which child did this, but play along, okay??) Now, despite being yelled and and even hit by said offspring, I did not yell or hit back. I just sent the offender to her/his room with the directions to take a shower and go to bed. A few minutes later, when my directions were not being obeyed, I asked again, very quietly and politely, for him/her to take a shower and go to bed. Response? "I won't do anything you tell me to ever again until you apologize to me." Wow. Apparently we see things very differently.

Later in the evening I got a half-hearted apology, but it didn't help. My feelings are really hurt. I invest a very large portion of my life and time into caring for my children, and I do take it personally when they yell mean things at me. I think it hurts even more because I have been trying very hard with this particular child, making one-on-one time a priority, giving praise, etc. Now I'm kind of at a loss. I'm tempted to leave him/her on his/her own tomorrow, giving a little taste of what life without Mom would be like.

Why do these little people bring us such joy and such heartache? What would you do? Me, I ate 10 gumdrops (citrus-flavored from Trader Joe's. Really good.), 2 squares of dark chocolate, and a spoonful of peanut butter. And then I went on Pinterest.

Ugh.

Amy

Fashion Friday -- PJJs

2012-01-20T21:25:00.000-08:00

Ahem, well, this might be a bit of a departure from my usual fashion posts, but I feel that I need to share with you the tradition of pre-jammie-jammies. Kyle has had a pair for about 4 years now, and I just got my first pair. Life-changing, people, life-changing. What are pre-jammie-jammies? I'm glad you asked.

PJJs are lounge pants that you can put on in the late afternoon or evening before you are ready to put on your pajamas, but when you are done wearing your trousers, pants, jeans, or skirt for the day. There are some rules for PJJs:

1. They need to have a finished hem, preferably not cuffed or elasticized.
2. Pockets add comfort and practicality.
3. They cannot have a crazy pattern.
4. They should be a more subdued color.
5. They should fit well -- not too tight, but not too over-sized either.
6. They should be crazy comfortable. Mine are lined with micro fleece.

PJJs are very practical. If someone comes to the door at, say, 7pm, you might be mortified to be seen in your pajamas, but your PJJs are perfectly acceptable door-answering wear. If you need to run to the store for milk at 9pm, you might feel obligated to change out of pajamas (unless you are the woman I saw at the store in an adult-sized blanket sleeper), but PJJs look just fine at the grocery store late at night. If you have to take out the trash, your neighbors won't gawk at you if you are in your PJJs, as opposed to your bathrobe or underwear.

Here are a couple of snaps of me in my PJJs. They are almost identical to Kyle's. I got them off a clearance rack at Target for about $13. They are the Champion C9 brand.

You might not see them on the runway anytime soon (although there was a Snuggie fashion show, so who knows), but I highly recommend getting a pair of PJJs. Thanks, Kyle, for the fashion tip!

I admit

2012-01-17T20:53:00.000-08:00

I sometimes give my kids their homework answers if I think the question is lame-o.

I wished for snow on Saturday night so we wouldn't have to go to church.

I'm doing my annual post-holiday sugar detox, and yesterday I ate 4 Mike and Ikes. I can't resist chewy fruity candy. Today I had a bite of chocolate chip cookie.

Sometimes I read books to Kate that I have memorized (as in I've been reading them for 10 years) so that I can zone out and think about other things during story time.

I haven't thoroughly cleaned my bathrooms in almost two weeks.

I find a Target clearance rack/aisle hard to resist.

I also find Kyle hard to resist.

Occasionally I wish my blog was so popular and I was so well-liked that random strangers would leave gushy comments and I could make some money.

I'd love to go on a tour of English countryside homes used in BBC period dramas.

My interest in comic books made into movies wore off long before Thor came out. Probably more like when the Wolverine movie came out. Except for Batman. Because of Christian Bale.

I fully intended to give up diet soda (for the most part) this year. Luckily it's only January.

I take a power nap almost every day. The best 7 minutes of the day!

The Biggest Loser is on and I'm going to watch it.

Fashion Friday - Equestrienne

2012-01-13T21:57:00.000-08:00

I realize my photos are amateur at best, which is why I don't post more outfits, but I have fun with Fashion Friday, so humor me!

I have been picturing the outfit I wore today in my head ever since I saw the sweater in Banana Republic. It called to me, specifically the elbow patches. Thanks to Santa and Kyle's mom for making the rest of the outfit come together. Although I am kind of afraid of horses, I love riding boots. And I'm now a proud owner of a pair of perfect ones. They cost a pretty penny, even with Christmas gift cards, but riding boots are one of those classic wardrobe items that will never go out of style. And if I'm ever invited to a polo match, I'll have the proper footwear. The necklace is from a shop on Etsy, and the removable love letter inside says je t'aime (I love you). Here are some photos of my new favorite outfit (with some great running commentary).

Trying for a different angle for photos. My living room feels very minimalist now that there are no Christmas decorations. I need a better photographer than my self-timer.

Better.

Even better. Nice shot of the elbow patch. And man, my hair is getting long. And now you can see all that stepmill work at the gym is paying off. Mmm hmm.

Close up of my love letter necklace. I think Kyle did a good job picking it out. It's whimsical and charming. Like me! (I know I'm going to regret this post tomorrow.)

There's just something about dressing nice that makes me happy. Fashion may be a bit frivolous, I admit, but it's also a form of self-expression. And today my outfit is totally me.

Christmas Captions

2012-01-06T15:34:00.000-08:00

We have returned from a 12-day trip to St. Louis! The kids missed one day of school (Wednesday), and I think everyone is glad it's the weekend already. We had a great (and I mean GREAT!) time staying with Kyle's sister Jill and his mom Karen. We arrived on Christmas Eve just in time for dinner and a party. The car rental agency gave away our RESERVED minivan, and there were no other renatl cars at the airport that seated 6 passengers. Luckily we found a nice Muslim taxi driver with a Toyota Sienna minivan who was willing to transport us and all of our luggage. $85 later we arrived! Karen and Jill's family share a large, comfortable home with plenty of room for visitors. And there were lots of visitors. Our niece Hannah was married on the 27th, so all but one of Kyle's siblings flew in for the wedding. Our family hasn't been to St. Louis since we moved from Michigan in summer 2008, and it was fun to be back. I had the eerie sensation of feeling exposed the whole time I was there. Guess I'm used to tall evergreen trees and hills and mountains everywhere. Kara missed Oregon every day it was too sunny, but the day after we got home she said she wanted to go back to Aunt Jill's house. Kate was adored by everyone (except maybe Kyle, since she came in bed with us every morning and enjoyed kicking him in the back). Now we're home and almost unpacked. The Christmas decorations are coming down tonight. Here are some (as in 20) snapshots of our holidays:

Stockings! The kids got to open these before church. They were chomping at the bit to get to the presents, but we had to wait.

Traditional Christmas breakfast. Each child requests an item. Makes for an eclectic mix sometimes, but this year ended up in the perfect combination.

The sorting of the presents begins.

We had lots of downtime waiting for our turns to open gifts. And since we didn't have a lot of gifts, it was a very relaxing couple of hours. Santa forgot my iPad 2 though. Bummer.

Kate figured out the fun.

Jillian opening a new DS game.

Jillian gave her cousin Rianna moral support as she went to get her ears pierced on her birthday.

Hannah and Alex got married! The had a long engagement by Mormon standards, so I think they were both so happy the day finally arrived.

And she looked much better than me. Of course!

We visited the St. Louis Zoo on a warm day. The gorillas were out!

And Jillian's beloved penguins.

Jill and Emma and Byron came with us. The kids loved their new cousin (by marriage) Byron.

Uncle Scott filled Kate full of sodas.

Kyle bought 15 gourmet sodas on New Year's Eve and we all had fun tasting them. Some were quite strange. Some were quite delicious. Most were too sweet for me!

On New Year's Day we caught the last evening of an amazing light display at at Catholic Shrine. The kids got to ride a camel.

We also saw a very cool nativity set made out of Legos. Hayden would love to be a Lego designer when he grows up.

We took the kids to the Arch for the first time. It was a very windy day. You could feel the arch moving from the top. There is a decent museum below the arch and lots of other things to do.

The view of downtown St. Louis from the Arch.

We also ate amazing barbeque here (which is saying something for the girl who hardly eats meat), enjoyed frozen custard at Ted Drewe's, saw a movie, played tons of games (I won some!), stayed up way too late, and ate way too much. All in all, just about perfect.

Whew! Longest post of the year. Hee hee.

Last Post

2011-12-31T21:18:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year! Here's to more fun blogging in 2012!

The Christmas Card

2011-12-20T15:17:00.001-08:00

We are really enjoying receiving Christmas cards in the mail. Next year ours will be awesome. Until then, we love you! Have a wonderful holiday week with your friends and family.

Reading List

2011-12-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

Several of my library requests came in at the same time, and now I have a reading stack that is too high to manage! If I read several hours a day for the whole week, I might make it through 7-8 of these books, but somehow I don't think that is going to happen. And since other people have also reserved these books and I won't be able to renew all of them, I need your help deciding what to read. Here's my stack-o-books, in the order I'm planning on reading them. Your job is to tell me if I should move a title to the front of the line or get rid of it all together. I'm counting on you!

Forever by Maggie Stiefvater
Maisie Dobbs #3 Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear
Maisie Dobbs #4 Messenger of Truth by Jacqueline Winspear
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James * (unless I already read this book)
Behemoth by Scott Westerfield
The Postmistress by Sarah Blake
The Faerie Queen's Deception by Maggie Stiefvater
The Cat's Table by Michael Ondaatje
The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
City of Thieves by David Benioff

Or should I forget all of these books and just get frisky with my husband every night?

(Guess which line of this blog post Kyle wrote. Sorry, Mom.)

Keep It Simple, Silly

2011-12-12T22:18:00.000-08:00

Don't think I'm a Scrooge (everyone knows that title belongs to Kyle -- KIDDING!), but I'm having a hard time getting gung ho about all things Christmas this year. I know exactly why. There are several reasons, really.

1. I started too late. In an effort to save money and spend less, I didn't get going on shopping or other tasks soon enough. Now I'm so far behind I have no desire to catch up.

2. I spent 6 weeks battling dizzy spells due to a neck injury.

3. I spent 2 of those 6 weeks battling a mysterious virus.

4. My oven died last week, thus no baking.

5. Kyle made me promise not to send Christmas cards this year.

6. We don't really need any more stuff. At least until we responsibly upcycle, donate, or throw away some of the stuff we have.

7. Not being home on Christmas makes me think I don't have very much to do to get ready, when in actuality I probably have MORE to do.

So here I am, 12 or 13 days away from Christmas, and I don't have the following done:

1. My Christmas shopping (mostly for extended family)

2. Baking with kids (they love to make gingerbread cookies and dip things in chocolate)

3. Teacher/church/neighbor gifts

4. The ecard and newsletter we're doing instead of an actual card

5. Packages mailed (a must since we're spending Christmas in St. Louis)

6. Christmas party planned (gathering with a few friends)

7. Pre-Christmas family celebration planned ( family traditions and gifts we can't take with us)

and so on and so forth.

And you know what, I don't really care. I'll get done what I can get done. If you're in my position, here's my advice:
Simplify

We got some goodies at Costco tonight to make treat bags for various people. The kids are going to stamp their own cards and write them with supervision. I may make some earrings, and I may not. I may add in some homemade baked goods, I may not. But we have something.

I'm scaling back our Christmas celebration this year, and I'm going to have the kids help me plan it. We're going to do crafts and activities with stuff we already have around the house, and we're just going to enjoy our time together.

I've been telling the kids all month that this is going to be a lean Christmas. I'm going to finish up the shopping and check my list (twice!). I'm ready to declare myself done shopping by the end of the week. I'm also trying to do a lot of it online.

The kids have the entire week off next week. I'm hoping to have them go through the toys and books and clear some out to donate. I'd like to put some up on Freecycle so that families without cash this Christmas can get some gently used toys, books, and games for their kids. I want to do a yard sale and donate the money to a charity, but that might have to wait until spring.

The ecard is a very low priority. I'm hoping I keep in touch with most people via Facebook or this blog. And although I love receiving cards and photos, I am willing to let it go this year.

What do I want this Christmas? A guilt-free holiday. A grateful heart. To be surrounded by people I love and care about. To make a difference in the lives of people around me. To enjoy time with my children. And as long as I get those things, it will be a very merry Christmas indeed.

Kate on the baby aisle at Target. She was so excited.

Hayden and Jillian in 2007 -- the last time we spend Christmas in St. Louis.

It seemed like a good idea . . .

2011-12-05T22:26:00.000-08:00

My niece is getting married in St. Louis on December 27th. Since Kyle and I attended her sister's wedding in St. Louis in August, we thought we should make every effort to attend hers as well. And since the kids haven't been to St. Louis (where their grandma and aunt live) for 3.5 years, we thought we'd just make a Christmas trip. And since plane tickets were so reasonable (relatively) in August, we just bought them. And now that we're getting down to the details of the trip, I'm getting a little anxious. Here's why:

Tickets were a decent price (about $1600 for 5). But add in things like

- Car rental (holy moly minivans are pricey to rent!)
- Airport parking in Portland
- Luggage fees (We're working on this. Do you think Kara can roll her own carry-on? Do you think my kids can fit clothes for 11 days into a carry-on? We don't need to bring any presents, right??)
- Shipping stockings/presents
- Gas to drive to Portland and back

and you can see why I'm getting sticker shock. It will be worth it, I know, but I hope the kids understand that going to St. Louis is a big part of their Christmas this year.

Next I looked at our itinerary. Kyle booked the tickets, and I only remember that we arrive in St Louis at 5pm on Christmas eve. Well, we leave Portland at 9am, which means we need to be on the road by 5:15am at the latest. Wow. It's going to be a doozy of a day! I hope we have merry travelers!

In true Amy fashion, I'm already planning how to make this trip the best possible. Preparation is the way to get rid of anxiety. Here are some of my holiday travel tips:

Pack each child's backpack very carefully. Include the following:

- Several easy access, non-messy snacks. Make sure some of the snacks have high caloric value (like clif bars) so that if you run out of time to catch a meal if a flight is delayed, you won't have hungry kids on your hands.

- A drink bottle with a lid or sip device that is spill-proof.

- An engaging book for older kids, or interactive (like lift-the-flap) books for younger kids.

- A charged electronic device (We have 2 Nintendo DS's, an iPod, and our smartphones. I'm debating about a small DVD player. We will also have the kids bring their mp3 players loaded with books to listen to.)

- Drawing or coloring supplies. Keep it minimal. By half-size coloring or activity books and small boxes of crayons or colored pencils.

- Small toys like action figures, cars, dolls, animals, etc.

- Small containers of playdoh (Can you still fly with this? I'll have to check it out.)

- Have the kids wear comfy clothes, layers, and comfy shoes.

- Pack a few surprises -- something new, something fun, and a few treats to eat.

I am also going to make sure we spend our time in the airport up and about as much as possible. We're going to pack the car the night before, send our stockings and wrapped gifts early so we don't have to stay up late wrapping presents when we will be so tired, have special breakfast foods on the road, and we might even get fun Christmas shirts or socks to make the day a good one. I usually spend Christmas eve day cooking, doing last minute wrapping, and making things ready for our evening. This year will be very different, but also fun. And in St. Louis the party doesn't really get started until around 6pm, so we'll be arriving just in time!

I'm feeling better already.

Do you think we're crazy?

Photo from Emma's wedding:

Taste of Tuesday

2011-11-29T18:22:00.000-08:00

I don't have much for you today. No recipe, no fabulous dessert or gourmet meal. I've been eating very plainly lately. Our food budget had a little inflation problem over the summer (guess I bought too much produce), so now we are having to cut back a bit to bring it back in line. I'm going back to basics and cooking low budget. I'm also trying to eat very few processed foods. One place I get lots of inspiration for my cooking is the Everyday Food magazine by Martha Stewart. Most of the recipes are simple, many are healthy, and the ones I've tried have been quite tasty. The recipes cover all kinds of food, from ethic to vegetarian, sides to desserts, breakfasts to drinks. Jillian started receiving the magazine in the mail one year, and I liked it so much that I renewed the subscription. Check out the blog if you need a new recipe or two, or pick up a magazine in the store.

Never were such devoted sisters

2011-11-29T18:07:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I met my sisters in Seattle for a quick getaway weekend. It was fun, but we learned a few things. Next time (and there WILL be a next time) we will

- go somewhere warm
- make sure no one has to bring a baby
- stay longer

I love each of my sisters. I have three. Lisa is the oldest at 36. She is only 19 months older than me, though, so it feels like we are about the same age. I am 34. Marisa is 32. And the baby of the bunch, Shauna, is 29. Between us we have 13 kids. Whenever we are together with our families, it seems like we never really have time for each other because one of us is always having to take care of a child. That is why weekends like this are so important. It is so fun to be together as sisters and individuals. We can relax and talk uninterrupted, we can stay up late and sleep in (well, we could, but my sisters like to go to bed early). We can shop 'til we drop and eat good food. I hope this sisters' weekend is a tradition we repeat for years to come. Next time we'll have to invite our new sister-in-law Mignon along, and maybe even our Mom too!

Marisa at the Space Needle. Even though I've been to Seattle at least 10 times, I'd never gone up in the Space Needle before. It was cool, but I've been in taller buildings.

Lisa trying to look cute and cool despite the wind. She succeeded.

I failed.

Marisa and Shauna ponder pasta at Pike Place Market. (How's that for alliteration?)

Seth came along as our token male. He was a good baby.

Beautiful flowers at Pike Place.

Shauna and Marisa enjoy hot cocoa at Fran's Chocolates. We stopped here after Pike Place, the wharf, and the Seattle Art Museum. We really had fun exploring the city.

Ideas for our next trip:

Arizona, California, Mexico?

Dear Santa

2011-11-21T16:16:00.001-08:00

The Christmas season is almost upon us! I've been sneaking in Christmas music on Pandora when Kyle's not around (he thinks it's too early), and I just downloaded the new Christmas album from The Lower Lights. We're going easy on gifts this year, due to a costly refinance and a costly (but much anticipated!) trip to St. Louis for the holidays. Nevertheless, I do need to have a few things on my list for those Santas out there who are planning on getting me something. And I always like to have a wish list floating about anyway, just for fun. I hope I've been nice enough to receive a few of these things!

1. The Sweater

Hmm, I can't get an image to load BUT it's at Banana Republic and it is so cute! It is a pullover sweater in an orange and gray stripe and it has elbow patches. That what makes it awesome. And it is totally soft. I saw it in the store a week or so ago, but can't find it online. Which has me worried. But here's a link to a similar sweater.

2. The Boots

I need some brown riding boots. Jillian has commandeered my other brown boots, and now I don't like to wear them. But I think I'd better pick these out myself, so a gift card to DSW should do nicely.

3. The Twinery

I would love a sampler pack of baker's twine to wrap up packages and goodies all year long.

4. The Weights

I am still in need of weights that go up to the 15-25 pound range. Because I like to be tough.

5. The Jewelry

I've had my eye on some unique and sweet necklaces on Etsy. Here are a couple of examples.

a key locket from Precious Pastimes

love letter necklace from Bijoux Mimi

And that's about it! I am looking forward to starting Christmas shopping -- NEXT week. I am boycotting Black Friday shopping because I think it's ridiculous stores are opening Thanksgiving night. Can't we all just wait until Friday at 8am? Sheesh!

Taste of Tuesday -- Baking with agave nectar

2011-11-15T15:22:00.000-08:00

We have swimming lessons tonight, so the dinner spinner came out! (It's just in my head, really, but if I were awesome I would make a cute printable for you. Maybe next year.) We're having . . . wait for it . . . Spaghettio soup and banana bread made with agave nectar instead of sugar! Now, I know that Spaghettio soup sounds kind of ghetto, and it is. It's one of those recipes that got handed down from a generation or two ago on someone's side of the family. Not mine, because I never had Spaghettios growing up. It comes from the side that had Spam casserole for dinner. There's no shame in it. Anyway, Spaghettio soup (besides being hard to type) is basically a mild chili with lots of veggies. The kids kinda like it. I use ground turkey instead of beef. I'm trying it tonight to see if it is a recipe we still like, or if it's one that should go the way of other dinners I never cook anymore, like tuna casserole (which kind of sounds good, actually).

On the side we're having banana bread and maybe an easy vegetable like frozen peas. I have been trying for a week or so now to get some overripe bananas to make banana bread. My family (mostly Kate) just goes through them too quickly, though, and so it's been a challenge. I had a beautiful one saved up, along with two questionable halves, and then Kyle (who thought he was being helpful by eating the most ripe banana) had it for breakfast. So I made do with a just ripe banana and the two questionable ones.

The recipe I'm sharing with you today, however, comes from momcooks.net and is for pumpkin bread with agave nectar. So far I've had success with quick breads, and and absolute FAIL with agave brownies. If you'd like to try a recipe with agave nectar instead of sugar, here's one that my family liked. My substitutions are in italics.

Pumpkin Bread (from momcooks.net)

Yields 2 medium loaves

Oven 350°

INGREDIENTS:

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat -- can't take too many chances)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can pumpkin (unsweetened)
1 1/2 cups light agave (I wouldn’t use more than ¾ C. It was plenty sweet.)
3/4 cup vegetable oil (I used 1/4 C oil and 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt.)
3 eggs (I used an egg white substitute.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 medium loaf pans. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl beat together pumpkin, agave, oil, eggs, and
vanilla. Slowly mix in dry ingredients.
4. Pour batter into prepared pans.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
6. Allow bread to cool in pans before removing.

There you go, easy peasy. 15 days into my experiment and I have lost two pounds. Two more to go and I will be a happy lady (without love handles, I hope). But really I'd like to get past the point where I crave sugar and chocolate every day. Honestly, I am not there yet. I am going to take a break next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and then jump right back in on Sunday. After I reach my goal weight and maintain it for a few days I will evaluate my eating habits. I will say that I have a lot more energy and food just tastes better. So there you have it!

A Veteran's Day to remember

2011-11-13T21:32:00.000-08:00

This year I really wanted to do something with the kids to let them experience Veteran's Day, not just have a day off of school. I had a great discussion with Hayden's cub group on Wednesday, so I was feeling motivated. Lucky for me, there is "the biggest Veteran's Day parade west of the Mississippi" in a city just north of us. Even better, I have a friend who lives there. She and her three cute kiddos met us for the parade. It was a nice day weather-wise, and the parade was inspirational and fun. I enjoyed seeing the different military groups marching in uniform, and I think we were all inspired and grateful. As veterans return from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, I think this holiday needs to take on more meaning. One person of interest in the parade was Don Malarkey from the actual Band of Brothers. He lives in Oregon and even played football for the University of Oregon. It was very cool to see him. Here are a few snaps from our day. I think we will attend this parade every year as long as the weather is good. I am grateful for all of the men and women who have served in the military.

After the parade we grabbed lunch at Wendy's and went to Kim's new house. It was great to see them and fun to hang out. All in all a great day.

Fashion Friday (or Saturday): Teacher's Pet

2011-11-12T23:01:00.001-08:00

Those of you who know me well know I was the teacher's pet often growing up. Or at least one of them. I couldn't really help it. My fear of being irresponsible coupled with my natural desire to please adults made me a joy to have in the classroom. I went to Hayden's conference with his teacher last week and was very happy to hear that he, too, is doing a great job at school. In fact, his teacher said she couldn't imagine not having him in her class. That is a big relief, because sometimes Hayden is highly sensitive with volatile emotions.

I used parent/teacher conferences as an excuse to dress up a bit, you know, put on the "responsible parent" routine. Apparently I looked so responsible that somehow I got nominated to help out with all art lessons in Hayden's class. Hmm. Me, twenty-eight third graders, and art supplies. Fun!

Onto my outfit: It was a nice fall day, not too cold, so I decided to wear my favorite trouser jeans and a cute sweater. I threw on a black skinny belt and a black cardigan. I could have worn red flats, but instead I chose leopard print kitten heel pumps (which I got for a steal at Target -- $6.49). The overall look is classic, but the playful mix of patterns adds a visual element of surprise. Thanks to Hayden for the great photos. Mixing patterns might be something you are wary to try, especially if you like order. If you are like me, you may need to start small, mixing patterns in a subtle way. Think of pieces not as "matching", but as "going", as in "these two things go together". And remember, if it's your style and you feel comfortable in it, who's to say it's not right? It seems to me that fashion right now is incredibly subjective: fabrics, decades, gender-specific clothing, colors, patterns, and textures are being combined in innovative ways. So give mixing patterns a try. You might just like a change.

Fashion Friday is back! I've missed it, have you?

Pattern #1. Leopard print on my shoes.

Pattern #2. Geometric print on my sleeve cuffs and collar. (Man, I should have flexed for this photo!)

The final look. Can you see how the two patterns go together, or do you think they clash?

For jewelry I wore simple gold hoops and a pretty black and gold flower large ring. I should have added a watch, but all four of mine have dead batteries. So don't ask me what time it is.

So long, October

2011-11-07T14:33:00.000-08:00

October was a difficult month for me. I am so glad it is over! I didn't feel well for most of the month, and getting through each day was sometimes a challenge. November is looking up in so many ways. But before I move forward and start planning my Thanksgiving dinner menu (not enough time or kitchen space to cook all the things I'd like to eat), I guess I should revisit Halloween. That happened, right?

Last year we decided to do a kind of "Greek Gods" theme this year, since three of our family members read and enjoyed the Percy Jackson series. But since Kate was just a wee little bug last year, I wasn't feeling up for any sewing adventures. Turns out, I wasn't really feeling up for any sewing adventures this year either. But since I bought the fabric, I had to do it. Some old curtains were the base for the littlest kids togas (Kate refused to wear hers), and then I accessorized accordingly. I learned I'm actually a better seamstress than I give myself credit for, particularly when I am just making things up as I go along. Here's how everything turned out:

Zeus and Hera. Zeus refused to wear a crown. Since he's king of the gods, it's allowed, I suppose. I found my costume to be most unflattering. I resolve to look better next year. And my feet were kinda cold in gladiator sandals as the night wore on. Hera's symbol is the peacock, thus the feathers.


Jillian as Medusa. Sewing 16 snakes into her wig took a bit of time, but the end result was pretty good.

Hayden as Poseidon. His hair was spray painted a glittery green. He really liked his costume.

Kara as "The Pretty Aphrodite, goddess of beauty". She did get a few looks from people who clearly did not know who Aphrodite was. She's missing her belt in this photo. Huh.

Kate as Cupid. She has a little sash on that says "love" and has hearts. I couldn't find her a bow and arrow set, or I just gave up trying too soon. She DID NOT like dressing up.

Another shot of our Greek gang (yes, I know Cupid is Roman). We had a fun night trick-or-treating followed by snacks at a friend's house.

Kate gets the hang of things.

Jillian carved this pumpkin herself and then took a photo of it. We just never made it to carving this year. Argh! Next year will be better. I already have plans to do personalized trick-or-treating bags and a few other things.

On Halloween night I was talked into going off of sugar until Thanksgiving. A week in and I am doing pretty well. I can only imagine how much Halloween candy I might have eaten last week, although the kids are being very disciplined. It's hard to decide what not to eat, though. Are graham crackers and granola bars out? How about diet soda? Brown sugar on oatmeal? So far I'm not eating those things, just having dried fruit and flavored water when I want something sweet. But I might cave and get some sugar free pudding this week because I MISS CHOCOLATE. I am trying to avoid artificial sweeteners as much as possible too, so I'm having a bit of honey (funny?!), and maybe maple syrup. I'm going to try to make banana bread or the like with agave syrup, but I've never used it before. And on Thanksgiving Day, I hope to be thankful for the last three pounds I just lost, a sense of taste not dulled by sweet, and the opportunity to have a few slices of pie, one of which must be pumpkin (served cold with real whipped cream).

On to November! Month of thankfulness and delicious foods.

On the Agenda

2011-10-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

At our next family meeting, we will discuss the following points:

Someone is spitting all over the faucet when brushing teeth. I've narrowed it down to one of the two oldest children. Please stop or you will be the one cleaning the faucet every day.
If you finish off a food item, like a box of crackers, cereal, granola bars, yogurt, etc., please take the box out of the cupboard, pantry or fridge and put it in the garbage or recycling. It is frustrating and dissappoining to reach for a snack and find an empty box.
We will be continuing to eat brown rice, so quit whining about it. Embrace its nutty flavor. And no, we won't have it all the time. We will still have basmati and jasmine with Indian and Thai dishes.
Good job on not using the "off limits" words we discussed. Our daily conversations are much more pleasant.
There is no reason to wake up early on Saturday mornings. But if you do, feel free to take care of your own breakfast and your baby sister.
Since Kate has decided that playing in toilet water is so much fun, please keep the bathroom doors closed.
Since Kate has decided that removing all shoes from their proper place is so much fun, please keep all closet doors closed.
Since Kate has decided that Squinkies are a new food group, please don't leave them lying around. The same goes for Legos, Polly Pockets, and marbles.
Please report promptly for your table setting duties.
Thanks for the good work with piano practice. You are both sounding wonderful! Recital is coming up in November.
We still need to play our family swim outing. And carve pumpkins. Is it too late for that?

Any of this sound familiar? I am happiest when I am at home with my family, even if they are making messes.

Diagnosis: Dizziness and Giddiness

2011-10-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

That's what my referral to the physical therapist said. Dizziness? Most definitely. Giddiness? Not so much. In fact, I've been feeling downright wilted since I hurt my neck last week (while getting my hair rinsed at the salon -- I know, pathetic). Apparently my inner ear crystals are just fine, but my neck is a tight, knotted mess. Now I get 6 sessions of physical therapy and strict orders to not look up for two weeks. I also have to avoid running, swimming, and sit ups. AUGH! I am an ab strengthening fanatic. I'll have to figure out if I can do plank positions without aggravating my neck muscles. Not to mention running. So long, half marathon on Saturday. I'll be the one doing the elliptical every morning at the gym.

The good news is that if I do my exercises and attend my sessions, I should be feeling better in about two weeks. That is good news, because being dizzy is not so fun. Makes me feel like I'm pregnant, which sends me into a panic attack.

And here is a recipe for pumpkin muffins that are sure to please. If you follow my healthy shortcuts, these are edible as a snack and not just a treat. The recipe is adapted from one in the Ivory Family Favorites cookbook. I love baking with pumpkin! This recipe makes a ton, but they freeze well, and they also share well.

Pumpkin cookies:

3 C canned pumpkin
2 eggs (or equivalent in egg beaters)
2 t vanilla
1 C vegetable oil (or 1/2 C oil and 1/2 C nonfat plain yogurt)
2 t nutmeg
2 t cinnamon
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
3 C sugar (I reduced to 2 cups)
1 t salt
5 cups flour (all purpose, Ultragrain, or white whole wheat)
1 1/2 C chocolate chips (I reduced to 1 1/4 C)

In large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, vegetable oil, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt and mix well. Add flour and mix to combine. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

This new blogger format is giving me fits! I can't get rid of all of these extra spaces. And my headache is too bad to figure it out. Ugh.

How about a rain check?

2011-10-18T22:21:00.001-07:00

I wanted to do a post today on the tomato basil soup I got a lot of comments on last week. But then I got vertigo after getting my hair cut. I know, weird. I sat up after having my hair rinsed and was so dizzy. I lurched out of the salon and made it home, but spent most of the afternoon flat on my back. And once I did feel better, I had to catch up on the things I didn't do earlier, including sewing snakes into a wig for Jillian's Medusa costume. So, no Taste of Tuesday post. And my highlights are too blond. I'm going back to get them fixed tomorrow, and I'll get that soup posted soon.

So sorry!

Taste of Tuesday -- Fall Dinner Spinner

2011-10-11T19:14:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I posted a "Taste of Tuesday" (or a "Fashion Friday"), but I want to get back into posting some of the things I'm doing in the kitchen. There are a zillion food blogs out there, I know, but I'm going to do it anyway.

Now that it's fall I get to rotate in my favorite soup recipes. I like soups for dinner for several reasons. You can prepare most well in advance and let them simmer all day, you can prepare some in 20 minutes for a quick hearty meal, it is very easy to adjust amounts for extra dinner guests, most soups have plenty of veggies and not very much meat, I usually have the ingredients for several soups on hand, soups are very inexpensive, and soup tastes wonderful on a cold evening. I have a system for going through them. Just for fun I named it the Dinner Spinner. I might have stolen that idea from somewhere else. Here's how it works:

Take a soup from Column A, add in a bread product from Column B (generally made from scratch at my house), and throw in a side from Column C if you're feeling adventurous. Easy peasy!

Column A:
(* marks a vegetarian soup)

Tortellini soup*
Tortilla soup
Cheeseburger soup
Baked potato soup*
Black bean chili*
White chicken chili
Bean and ham soup
Chicken noodle soup
Split pea soup
Vegetable beef stew
Zucchini soup*
Broccoli cheese soup*
Tomato basil soup*
Minestrone with pasta*

Column B:

Apple muffins
Cornbread
Pumpkin bread
Whole wheat bread
Tortilla chips
Zucchini bread
Homemade foccacia
Cranberry orange muffins
Rolls
Breadsticks
French bread
Blueberry muffins
Mini grilled cheese sandwiches

Column C:

Raw veggies and dip
Homemade applesauce
Fresh fruit
Green salad
Spinach salad
Canned pears
Apple cider
Fruit salad
Steamed vegetables
Crystal light drink

Of course, certain items from Columns A and B go better together than others, but they can also be combined in a lot of different ways. I use my dinner spinner two days a week in fall and winter, occasionally adding in a new soup or bread. I especially like to cook this way when we have late night soccer practice or early evening activities. Then I can prepare the soup and bread earlier in the day, but still have a nice meal when everyone comes home. Tonight the dinner spinner yielded cheeseburger soup (with ground turkey instead of beef), apple muffins, and raw veggies. Winner, winner, dinner spinner!

What's your favorite fall soup??

Should I post a fashion Friday post this week?

One Hot Photo Shoot

2011-10-05T21:40:00.000-07:00

No, not the boudoir shots I was teasing you about. Rather, a family photo shoot we did in August when we were in Spokane. During the hottest week of the year. We stayed at my parents' house. They don't have air conditioning. I was sweating the whole time I was getting ready, and certainly during the shoot, but somehow it all worked out. We had to go to the mall afterward to cool down. Whew! Here are some faves ("some" meaning 20):

I have the b/w ones of the kids laughing in black frames in the family room. They look so good, and they make me so happy. What attractive children I have. Not to mention my husband . . .

Funky

2011-09-29T14:43:00.001-07:00

Not going to beat around the bush here, dear readers, today I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I have self-diagnosed myself as "in a funk." I am sure there are several reasons for my funkiness, some of which I hope to have resolved when I get some blood test results back. Meanwhile, I search for ways to overcome said funk and return to my normal stasis.

Things that are helping:

baby babble
one diet Pepsi
one cinnamon roll (well, I got a stomachache after, so maybe not)
one novel followed by one nap
the sunshine (I'd better get out and enjoy it)
the promise of a good cardio workout at the gym tonight (while Kyle puts the veggies to bed)
an email in my inbox from a blogger:

Thank you for your sweet comment today on What I Wore... it really made my day :)

xoxo

Jessica

Do any of you ever read Jessica's blog What I Wore?

She's quite well-known in the style blogging world. I like her blog because she finds and wears vintage pieces (and makes them look good!), sews her own clothes, and combines clothes in inspiring ways. She also seems kind and friendly, and her last name is very cool.

I write this to let you know that a kind note, word, compliment or text can improve someone's day. Apparently mine did that for Jessica yesterday. And she helped me out today too. Guess I'll go find something nice to say to someone. Check your inbox!

Back to School!

2011-09-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

This year I wasn't quite ready for school to start. Until it did. And then I remembered how much I can get done whilst the children are being educated. Huzzah! I have big plans for the fall, cleaning and such. I am tackling a closet a day starting tomorrow. With weekends off, of course.

Someone might foil my plans:

She's pretty good at getting into all sorts of trouble.

Bean started 6th grade this year and Pea started 3rd. They are both at new schools and no longer go to school together. So far so good. They are making their own lunches every night and generally being more responsible. Bean is great at getting her homework done.

Asparagus started preschool again. She goes 3 days a week and has the same teachers as last year. She loves it. I love it too.

The only person who might not love our new schedule is Sprout. She is a bit lonely.

We have fewer days cut from the schedule this year and teachers seems good, so I am a happy mom!

I Spy

2011-09-23T21:51:00.000-07:00

Something beautiful . . . the dahlias blooming in my backyard and near Kara's preschool. They are still gorgeous and make my day better every time I see them.

Something scary . . . middle school boys chugging extra large energy drinks at 9am on their way to school. Poor teachers!

Something annoying . . . food on the floor under Kate's high chair after every meal. She's very fussy this week (teething?) and even threw a popsicle on the floor. Sigh.

Something fun . . . the clearance rack at Target. Scored some goodies that I totally don't need.

Something new . . . wall shelves for my living room and new family photos to put up. I'm back to decorating!

Something rare . . . the ironing pile has disappeared. There is no article of clothing in need of ironing in this house. That is monumental, dear readers.

Something sticking around . . . this blog. I still like doing it, so you're still getting it. It's a good thing, right?

Something warm . . . summer is ending and although it was 90 degrees today, the pants are coming out of storage. The weather next week calls for upper 60s.

Something fantastic . . . my brother-in-law Jonas passed the bar exam and can now officially practice law! It stumped him for a bit, so I'm so proud of him and happy for my sister Shauna and their family.

Something cute . . . photo of Kara and Kate for their orange and green bedroom. Kara is moving out of Hayden's lower bunk and back into her downstairs bedroom. I think Kate sleeps well enough now.

Am I Boring You?

2011-09-17T23:27:00.000-07:00

Or is blogging just passe, unless you're cjane or nie nie or somebody with a zillion followers? I like blogging, but it has to be a bit interactive for me to keep doing it. I don't have giveaways or sponsors, and I don't really think I'll ever make it big in the blogging world. After four years, I'm considering fading the blog into oblivion.

Or posting some boudoir shots.

You choose.

Neverland

2011-09-15T20:43:00.000-07:00

Does anyone know the directions to Neverland? I need to send Jillian there for a few years until I'm ready for her to grow up. Then she can come back home and continue on with her life. You see, my oldest daughter, my firstborn, now goes to MIDDLE SCHOOL. Yes, MIDDLE SCHOOL. And she's only 10. I dropped her off today (as I do on the days that Kara goes to preschool) and I got a little lump in my throat as I watched her walk in the door. I sent up a little prayer that went something like this:

keep her safe
keep her happy
keep the mean people away
keep the drugs and sex away
keep her young
keep her happy

In the past few weeks, as we've prepped for middle school (alright, I'll stop capitalizing), we've had to buy things like bras (for modesty more than development) and deodorant. She's learned how to open a locker, change for gym class (brings back the bad memories, huh?), and negotiate changing classes at a new school. She's also asking to borrow my boots (which fit her), wear make-up (lip gloss only), and I'm wondering when I'm going to have to teach her how to shave her legs. Ugh. Anyone found those directions yet??

When she was in second grade and all the powers that be at her elementary school recommended skipping a grade, it seemed like a fine idea. But now that it means being in middle school early, I'm having to take a leap of faith. Rough patches are inevitable at this age, I know, and she seems pretty resilient, but it's still just a little bit difficult.

I'd better savor every moment, though, because soon enough we'll probably be trying on these:

Jillian wearing Aunt Marisa's wedding dress at my parents' house in August.

For those of you with children in middle school/junior high, how is it for you??

Kate and Catie

2011-09-07T21:28:00.001-07:00

We went to Spokane the last weekend in August. I grew up in Spokane, and my parents still live there, but we don't visit very often because my parents come here at least 2 times a year. My Grandma Catie also lives in Spokane, in a nursing home, and I wanted her to meet Kate and see the kids again, so off we went. Kyle was a good sport and went along with the trip, even though he really wanted to stay home and work. We also met my sister for a day at Silverwood (largest amusement park in the NW and pretty darn fun!). The kids had a great time with their cousins on all the rides, and the water park was just what we needed to cool down in the 90+ degree weather. I went to my cousin's wedding and we got family photos taken too. It was a busy weekend!

The highlight of the weekend for me was visiting with Grandma Catie. She is 89 years old and mostly confined to a wheelchair. She also has a condition that makes it hard for her to talk, but she was much more lucid and alert than last time I saw her, and she still has her sense of humor. I really enjoyed watching her interact with Kate. She loved seeing a baby and holding her hand. My Dad and I also took Grandma Catie for a ride out to Lake Coeur d'Alene. It was so cute so see tiny Grandma in the front seat with her visor and sunglasses on, cracking jokes and telling stories as best she could. She is the last grandparent I have, and Kyle has none living, so I think she's extra special. I was really glad to see her again and have the kids talk to her and hug her.

Photos? Yes!

Cousins chilling at Silverwood.

What's this? A photo of me in a wedding dress? My wedding dress? Yes, I got it on. It fits, but it was kind of big when I got married, so I can definitely tell my body has changed. Four kids will do that to you! And I think Kyle was holding the camera at a very unflattering angle.
BUT THE DRESS ZIPPED UP. Squee!

Kids' Day 2011

2011-09-01T22:19:00.000-07:00

Did you celebrate Kids' Day this year? What? You didn't know about Kids' Day? Well, it's a new holiday. We celebrated on August 5th. Jillian, Hayden, and Kara decided to have a day devoted to kids. I told them that almost every day is devoted to kids as far as I'm concerned. They made a list of all the things they wanted to do. The list included things like waffles with ice cream for breakfast, having a friend over, Cheetos for lunch, coloring, sidewalk chalk, a special movie (Phineas and Ferb Across the 2nd Dimension), popcorn, popsicles, and games outside with the whole family. Oh, and NO chores, piano, or home schoolwork. They also got to pick out a small toy from Target. I know, I'm a total sucker. The day ended with a campout in the backyard in the big tent. They even got to look at the stars. It was a fun day, and I was pleased that expensive outings were not on the list of things to do. I'm sure we'll do it again next summer, although maybe not on the exact same day. As usual, here are some photos:

Hayden skates by.

Jillian shows off her mad hula-hooping skills.

I visited the tent for the dance party, but I slept inside in my cozy bed.

Fabulous Four

2011-09-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

Miss Kara Jane, who loves the word "recently" and recently told me that she would like to be renamed "Jane", turned 4 just one week after her sister Kate Michelle turned 1. And with Kara's birthday comes the end of family birthdays for a year. All six of our family birthdays fall within a 6-month period (to the day!); thus, now we are on birthday sabbatical. Thank goodness for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, and Valentine's Day to keep us busy until the birthdays resume.

Kara's birthday was a rushed affair, since Kyle and I were out of town until 3 days before. Despite the hurried preparations, I think Miss Asparagus had a wonderful day. Here are some photos as proof:

She got her ears pierced! After days of stick-on earrings that always fell off, she was excited to have pink stars. I was a bit surprised she actually went through with it. Kara was so brave.

We went out for pizza dinner with her good friend Alice and Alice's family.

Kyle came home early to take Kara out to pick out a new big bike.

She got Squinkies! I can't tell you how many months she has been waiting for Squinkies!

She got cake and ice cream with all of her closest friends.

Kara Jane is a sweet, funny, kind, clever girl and I am so lucky to be her mother. Although she's been a bit fiesty the past few weeks, she is generally very agreeable and fun to be around. She plays well by herself and with others, she loves to help, and she is a very important member of our family. She's learning to read, can count to 100 and by 2's, and can do basic addition. She also has a great singing voice and can shake her hips like nobody's business. Happy Birthday to her!

A Birthday for Kate Bug!

2011-08-16T21:50:00.001-07:00

Kate Michelle, aka Buggy, turned one last week. I can't believe it. I know it's a cliche to say "I don't know where the time has gone", but I mean it! How has my little baby, who weighed 6 and a half pounds at birth, grown into a 22 pound almost-toddler? She's not walking yet, but she's close. Every person in our family adores her, and the kids often fight over who can play with her. I know she'll be so sad when the big kids go to school all day in a few weeks. She knows several signs and words, and she is a good eater and sleeper. She loves to sit on my lap and be read to, and she is turning into quite the little snuggler as well. I think it's so cute when she lays her head on my shoulder and pats my back. All in all, I couldn't ask for a better baby. It is still fun to watch babies grow up and learn new things, even if she is #4. We're blessed to have her in our family and it was fun to wish her a happy birthday! I know the next year will bring lots more learning and developing from little Kate Bug.

Birthday photo shoot on the deck. She was pretty willing to smile!

Her caterpillar cake.

She was pretty shy when everyone was singing to her.

No clue on how to blow out a candle. We should have practiced!

She loves playing with this little baby doll. So funny since she is a baby!

Opening presents was very interesting for her. Thanks to our friends and neighbors who came to her first birthday party!

Whirlwind Wedding Weekend

2011-08-15T21:59:00.000-07:00

Kyle, Kate and I dashed off to St. Louis last Wednesday to spend the weekend with our niece Emma, who got married at the ripe old age of 20! Kyle came straight from a conference in Denver, so Kate and I braved 3 airplane rides to meet him at midnight in Saint Louis (said with a French accent). We had a lovely time with many of Kyle's siblings. It was grand to meet Emma's new husband Byron and some of his family as well. The weekend was festive and fun, full of activities and busyness. Here are some highlights:

- I went running on Thursday morning and about died from the humidity, which I know wasn't even that bad. I am a weather wimp after three years in mild Oregon. I don't think I stopped sweating the whole weekend.

- The ladies got manicures and pedicures Thursday afternoon. It was fun to hang out at the salon. But I missed my other sisters-in-law, especially Mandie!

- Justin (Emma's brother) and I did all of the flowers for the wedding. It was a little intimidating, but so fun. I think they turned out quite well. You can judge from these photos:

- The ceremony was at the St. Louis Temple, where Kyle and I were married 13 years ago. It was wonderful to be there again. I felt a little giddy remembering our wedding day and all the feelings of excitement and anticipation. And the sealing was beautiful. So peaceful and spiritual. I'm so glad to have Kyle as my husband. Life with him has only gotten better over the years.

- Of course we had to stop at Ted Drewe's for frozen custard. And since we were part of a wedding party, it was FREE!

- We stayed up late most nights. On the last night we stayed up until 2am and then had to wake up at 4am to make it to the airport for 6:30am flights. Let's just say I've been a little tired since I got home.

- Emma was a beautiful bride. And, lucky for us, we get to go back in December for Hannah's wedding. We bought our tickets today! It's going to be a St. Louis Christmas for us!

Evidence of Summer

2011-08-09T16:04:00.001-07:00

We have been doing some of the typical summer things, just not as much as I had hoped. Plenty of Popsicles have been consumed, the kids slept outside in the tent, we celebrated the 4th of July, we've been swimming, on picnics, and the kids have taken a few bike rides. Even though we're still waiting on tomatoes and cucumbers from our garden, we've been enjoying lettuce, peas, spinach, strawberries and herbs. The green beans are just coming on and I've been nibbling them raw every day when I water the plants. We still need to go to the coast, take a family hike, and eat outside a few more times. The weather has been cooling down the last couple of days. I'm not ready for summer to end! Bring on the heat, please? Here's some proof of our summertime fun:

Practically Imperfect in Every Way

2011-08-03T15:26:00.001-07:00

I am feeling my humanity lately. I have had a week or so where I feel like I am barely up to par in most areas of my life. Parenting, body image, spirituality, home cleanliness, organization, all of it. Whew. It's been a little rough. I know you've all been there, so I'll spare you the gory details. I really dislike feeling so down. I also dislike the self talk that goes on in my head. Luckily those moods don't seem to last too long, although I still feel so behind on most everything, and thus inadequate. During this spell I tried to examine the things that were making me feel this way, and then brainstormed ways to feel better. Here's my process:

Not feeling spiritual? Make sure to start the day with a good prayer and a few minutes of meditation, picturing how the day will go and how you will react in certain stressful situations (kids fighting being my numero uno stressor). Try to read the scriptures or an uplifting article early in the day, as well as at night.

Not feeling beautiful? Go shopping. Just kidding. Take an extra minute to choose clothes that will make you feel the way you want to look. Or spend two minutes putting on makeup or jewelry more carefully. Look in the mirror and point out some of your best traits, both physical and personality. Thank your body for helping you do all you want to do. Stretch and breathe deeply. And if you have the money, a little shopping might not hurt!

Not feeling like a good parent? Put everything down and take a breather. And then put everything down again and pick up your child. Sing a song, say a rhyme, read a book, play with them. Dress up and be silly. Throw an impromptu dance party or go to the park and really run. If you're really busy, choose a child to help you work and talk to that child one on one. Or, plan a special activity to do with one or all of your children.

Not feeling like a good homemaker? Wait for school to start again. Until then, it's going to be messy and dirty. C'est la vie! And apparently some day in the future I'm going to miss popsicle spills on the floor, fingerprints on the windows and woodwork, endless small toys migrating to all corners of the house, and laundry that multiplies daily. But try to keep up or you will drive yourself insane. : )

And when you feel like your life is settling back into its rightful place in the universe, try to enjoy it. Because next week you're going out of town again. Whew!

YW Camp

2011-07-26T21:58:00.000-07:00

I don't know if I've ever mentioned my calling at Asst. Camp Director for my stake's YW camp. I was called last October -ish and have been working on camp ever since then. Well, we finally put all of those meetings and planning to good work and had camp last week. It was my first time attending in 17 years. I always loved camp growing up, so it was fun to be back. Although the songs and traditions are different at this camp, it was still a really great time. Super exhausting and busy, but great. I enjoyed supervising and helping with all kinds of different activities, problem solving, meeting new people, and even sleeping in a tent at night. I did come home for 12 hours so Kyle could go to work and meet a deadline, but I honestly couldn't wait to get back to camp. I was also in charge of making all the beads for camp. I probably made over 1,000 with some help. The girls really liked the beads, so that was good too. I'm pretty sure they are going to ask me and the director to plan camp again next year, and I have to say that I am excited! Kyle, maybe not so much. It was a lot of meetings. : )

The four of us are the members of the Most Meetings Club. Julie, on the left, is the camp director. We had a lot of fun! We're planning a spa meeting to celebrate the end of camp.

Each day Julie and I met with our awesome unit leaders. It was fun to just be together as adults and snack and chat. Oh and work. I made some new friends!

Some of the girls at flag in the morning. They are tired from being crazy all night.

Some of the stake leaders whose snoring kept me up at night. Thank goodness for earplugs! And the little stream that gurgled by outside my tent.

Two of my favorite campers, Hannah and Sarah.

Be back soon!

2011-07-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

I'm finally home after two weeks of craziness. And I don't leave again for another two weeks, so I will get some posts up soon. Not that you're missing them or anything, but I just thought I'd let you know. It's a rare thing for me to go 20 days without posting!

Mt. Mazama

2011-07-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone know where Mt. Mazama is? Well, what's left of it is in Southern Oregon. It's better known as Crater Lake now, and we went there at the end of June. We should have planned our trip better, though, because there was still 8 feet of snow at Crater Lake and we couldn't do as much as we wanted to. But it was so gorgeous and inspiring anyway, and I got many lungfuls of really nice air. We stayed in Ashland for three nights. Ashland is like Eugene, but sunnier, and with more dreadlocks. If that is possible. My parents joined us from Washington and my sister and her fam drove up from California. We are enjoying meeting up with them for a trip each summer. And now, a photo essay:

Hayden perched at the top of this climbing structure in Lithia Park. He could have stayed there all day. Or all three days. Lithia Park is a lovely park in downtown Ashland that I highly recommend for hanging out.

The fam at Lithia Park.

The fam at the rim of Crater Lake.

Ooh, ahh!

Me and hubs.

The piled-up snow reached to the rooftops!

Bean and Pea with my parents. Wizard Island in background. In good weather you can ride a boat to the island and hike up and look down into the caldera. How cool is that? We'll be back!

Kara, who has spent most her life in rainy Oregon, has a very low tolerance for sun in her eyes. The glare off the snow was hard to handle.

Kyle paid this wandering poet (did I mention Ashland hosts a wonderful Shakespearean festival?) $5 to recite a poem about me. It was decent. A $3 poem.

We had to get Kara this outfit from a vendor. And then we had to take it away until her birthday. Lucky for us she's a pretty easy going kid.

Next week we're off to Seabrook, Washington for a reunion with Kyle's family! I love summer vacations.

Mother Nature has a sense of humor

2011-06-30T23:06:00.000-07:00

Our strawberries are going crazy in the garden this year. We have enough to make at least one batch of jam. I can't wait to make it with the kids tomorrow! We are going to feel so accomplished. We've been having fun looking for strange and interesting berries. This one takes the cake, for sure. We picked it at the peak of ripeness. Now it's just withering in our fridge. No one quite wants to eat it, but no one wants to throw it away either. It's just too cool. Or too creepy.

We call it "The Glove"

Photo Catch Up

2011-06-30T22:45:00.000-07:00

Everyone's too busy enjoying summer to blog, but in case I ever slurp this whole thing into a book, I don't want huge gaps. So here's some stuff that happened in May and June. Enjoy the snaps. I hope to make my blog cooler soon, like an ice cream sandwich on a hot summer day. Aren't ice cream sandwiches the best??

Kara fell asleep on the couch like this.

The kids helped me feel special on Mother's day.

Hayden participated in his first Pinewood Derby.

Kate is the messiest eater. And the cutest.

We started putting together our outdoor living room and working on the yard.

We had our first BBQ and sprinkler party

Kara finished her first year of preschool.

Jillian was promoted from 5th grade. Next year -- Middle School!

Kyle and I celebrated 13 years of marriage with a nice date.

Jillian and Hayden participated in an excellent singing program at school. The district is closing their elementary school this year, so it was a bittersweet performance. Their wonderful music teacher does not have a job for next year. He is truly amazing and I'm so sad for him and the kids he teaches.

Kara had her first dance recital. Hayden danced hip hop. They both did great! Hayden has been invited to join a performance company next year.

We celebrated Father's Day by making Soda Pops.

Kate decided bath time is the best time.

Whew! We have been busy. More to come!

Summer!

2011-06-19T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am so glad summer is finally here. The last two weeks have been extra super duper busy around here. I'm sure they've been just as busy for you. Here are a few things I could post individual posts about, but I just won't get to.

- last day of preschool for Kara
- last day of school for Jillian and Hayden
- Jillian's 5th grade promotion
- Kara's dance recital
- Hayden's dance recital (yes, they were different)
- my half marathon
- my relay from Portland to Eugene
- Father's day
-13th anniversary and Cirque de Soleil
- weaning Kate

I've also been busy doing teacher gifts, camp stuff, prepping for summer fun, trying to clean my house (and failing), gardening, laying bark, and taking care of kids. My life has been a whirlwind. I'm looking forward to:

- lazy evenings on the deck (new furniture!)
- popsicle and sprinkler afternoons
- family bike rides (I have a trailer now, I just need a bike)
- walks after dinner
- fresh tomatoes from the garden (and beans, and cukes, and lettuce and everything)
- early morning runs
- vacations (Crater Lake, Washington coast, girls camp, St. Louis, Spokane)
- birthdays (Kyle, Kara, Kate)
- "home school" stuff with kids
- eating outside and grilling up good things

It's finally going to hit 80 this week after a cool spring. I am ready! Bring on the summer fun! What are you looking forward to?

The Answers

2011-06-07T20:56:00.001-07:00

Thanks to those of you who played my game! Here are the answers you've been waiting for. Or not waiting for, as the case may be. I'm going to add a little commentary to make everything clear.

Group A:

1. It's been so rainy here that Kara's gone dark blond. I'm compensating by spraying Sun-In on her hair on the few sunny days we're having. Next step, Toddlers and Tiaras. This is true. Don't judge! I just can't bear to see Kara going dark blond. She's supposed to be my blondy girl forever. Her new highlights are really cute. Now she's asking for a spray tan, but I have to draw the line somewhere. Okay, that last sentence was a lie.

2. When I was little and thought my name was boring, I told people my real name was Amelia and I just went by Amy for short. This is also true. I don't think anyone believed me. I also told my mom I was going to change my name to Jackie when I turned 18. She said I could.

3. I'm so proud of myself! I cleaned all the windows inside and out last week. Now they sparkle with the falling rain. Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't have cleaned the windows. Not true. I have yet to clean the outside of my windows. I have three inside windows left to clean. Now that the sun is actually shining, I might just get them done.

Group B:

1. Kyle and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary by staying in a treehouse suite at this resort. Only in Oregon! Not true. But I am going to take my family to the treehouses sometime when Kate's a little bigger. Looks pretty cool! Kyle and I are celebrating our 13th anniversary this weekend by going to Cirque de Soleil. I am excited!

2. After six pregnancies, my hair has finally settled on the totally impossible texture of fuzzy. How convenient. Unfortunately this one is true. My hair used to be wavier, but now it's just blah. Sigh.

3. I was going to give a pledge to my local classical music radio station until they said "this hour we are taking pledges in memory of a cat. Or from people who love cats." Too bad. So, so true. And hilarious.

Group C:

1. I'm starting to side with Kyle on the whole trampoline issue, although I'm still more in favor of it than against. It's that annoying worrying mother side of me, I guess. True. I 5% agree with him, and I 95% want a trampoline. He has yet to budge from saying 100% no.

2. Marketing works on kids. Kara's been telling me all about some wonderful products -- Angel Soft bath tissue and Resolve floor cleaner. She dutifully informed me that "we don't just want vacuum clean, we want Resolve clean." Also true. Now she's telling me all about the wonderful charms of Sea World, including repeatedly describing the commercial and asking if I'll take her.

3. Lady Gaga is starting to grow on me. Such a lie. Although I hate Katy Perry more than I hate Lady Gaga. I kinda think Katy Perry's producer/songwriter is Satan. Have you heard the lyrics to her new song "Last Friday Night"? I won't post a link because I do not want to be responsible for corrupting you. Heaven help them if my children ever learn this song!

Well, there you have it! No one got all three answers. I guess I'm good at lying. Just kidding! Thanks again for playing along.

Let's Play a Game

2011-05-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

You've heard of it, I'm sure, and even played it a time or two. It's called two truths and a lie. Sometimes it's called two lies and a truth. But we're going to play the first one. Here's how it works. Read the statements below. They are in groups of three. In each group of three are two true statements and one false statement. In the comments section, guess which statement is the lie. I've numbered the statements and lettered the groups to make it easy to comment. Have fun!

A.
1. It's been so rainy here that Kara's gone dark blond. I'm compensating by spraying Sun-In on her hair on the few sunny days we're having. Next step, Toddlers and Tiaras.

2. When I was little and thought my name was boring, I told people my real name was Amelia and I just went by Amy for short.

3. I'm so proud of myself! I cleaned all the windows inside and out last week. Now they sparkle with the falling rain. Hmm. Maybe I shouldn't have cleaned the windows.

B.
1. Kyle and I just celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary by staying in a treehouse suite at this resort. Only in Oregon!

2. After six pregnancies, my hair has finally settled on the totally impossible texture of fuzzy. How convenient.

3. I was going to give a pledge to my local classical music radio station until they said "this hour we are taking pledges in memory of a cat. Or from people who love cats." Too bad.

C.
1. I'm starting to side with Kyle on the whole trampoline issue, although I'm still more in favor of it than against. It's that annoying worrying mother side of me, I guess.

2. Marketing works on kids. Kara's been telling me all about some wonderful products -- Angel Soft bath tissue and Resolve floor cleaner. She dutifully informed me that "we don't just want vacuum clean, we want Resolve clean."

3. Lady Gaga is starting to grow on me.

Good luck!

Tasty Tuesday - The Miracle of the Quinoa

2011-05-24T21:42:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get my family to eat (and enjoy) quinoa for quite some time. They didn't like it plain-ish as a side dish, they didn't like it with some veggies mixed in, and they really didn't like it with Indian seasonings in lettuce cups. (But I did.) Then I saw a Biggest Loser episode with a quinoa salad. I didn't think much of it until a similar salad appeared on the Our Best Bites blog. It was a sign. Last night I made the salad with a few changes (and some blueberry muffins as a bribe). Lo and behold they liked it! The heavens opened and quinoa was consumed! It was so delicious that it is now on my go-to list for summer salads. Here are the changes I made to the Best Bites original recipe:

- I kept the cilantro on the side because my kids don't love it.

- I added some chopped avocado because Kara and Kate both love it (me and Kyle too!)

- I added some chopped rotisserie chicken from Costco (about 1 cup) because I had one in my fridge and I wanted the salad to be as successful as possible. But if you want a vegetarian dish (as we often do), it is not necessary. Quinoa is a complete protein!

- I changed the dressing. I made theirs first, but didn't care for the final taste. Here's what I did instead:

Whisk together the following:

2T lime juice
1/3 C olive oil
1-2 T white wine vinegar (depending on how zippy you like things)
1T sugar
salt and pepper to taste

I hope you give this a try! I don't have a photo because we ate it up too fast.

You Do the Math

2011-05-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

Jillian is in 5th grade and has math homework on most nights. I am perfectly capable of helping her with her math homework, but I admit it does sometimes take me a minute. It's hard to remember what numerators and denominators are. I haven't memorized the equations she's asked to perform (they aren't listed on the worksheet), and I don't know how to do some of the new-fangled things she's asked to do, like make an array to solve a multi-digit multiplication problem. That's why I married Kyle, of course. But Kyle and Jillian don't get along so well while doing homework, so my brain gets a little workout.

Jillian just took a test to see if she can skip 6th grade math and go straight into 7th grade pre-algebra next year. I can't decide if I want her to pass, because I remember liking pre-algebra, or if I want her to stay in 6th grade math to prolong the moment when I have to honestly say "I don't know how to do that." You see, Kyle is Math Man, but I haven't taken math since my junior year of high school. I barely even got to trigonometry. I never took pre-calc or calculus. I'm practically a math dropout. Although, in my defense, I haven't exactly needed math. Not once in my adult life have I had to figure out the volume of a pyramid or solve a complicated algebra problem. Not once. Give me science, social studies, history, English, current events, anything else, but I'll leave the math to Kyle. Maybe I'll take a few online courses and brush up on my weak skills. Or maybe I'll just ask for a second copy of Jillian's worksheets.

Other things "by the numbers" this week:

Number of times (per day) that Kara says "my legs don't work anymore. I can't walk.": 5
Number of naps Kate takes per day: 2
Number of hours it took me to weed my front flower bed: 3
Number of miles I ran last week: 27
Number of naps I took: 4 (It was a good week for naps!)
Number of times I almost got flashed by weirdos while running: 1
Number of days my children go to school this week: 4
Number of pounds I hope to lose by July: 5
Number of peanut M&Ms I ate in one day: 47 (approximately)

We want to jump!

2011-05-16T21:29:00.001-07:00

The kids and I need your help! We want to buy a trampoline for our backyard, but Dr. Kyle will have none of it. From our many discussions on the topic, I've learned the reasons he doesn't want a trampoline are as follows:

1. He thinks our backyard isn't big enough.
2. He thinks trampolines are dangerous.
3. He doesn't want other people's children to get hurt on our trampoline.
4. He doesn't want to move the trampoline to mow the grass.
5. It rains a lot here and he doesn't want the trampoline out in the rain.

I concede that these are all valid points. Now, here are my reasons for wanting a trampoline:

1. The kids would have a great time on it. I know they would.
2. Our backyard goes basically unused. Even when we're on the deck having a barbecue, the kids often go out to the front driveway where we can't see them. A trampoline would be fun for all of our summer parties and cookouts. (I think we are going to make a fire pit too. But not too close to the trampoline.)
3. Exercise for kiddos.

I know that trampolines can be dangerous, but we would get a safety net, and we really don't have room for a huge trampoline, so we would get a smaller one. And we have pretty good health insurance. As far as other kids jumping, we would get permission from their parents. We actually don't have that many friends over because we don't have close neighbors with kids, so I'm not too worried about this. I will also personally cut the grass under the trampoline with scissors, or help him move it, if he is really concerned. And in the winter we can take the pads off, take the net down, and move the trampoline frame off the grass and against the fence or house or something.

So, any other tips for convincing dear old dad to let us kids get a trampoline? Summer is fast approaching and we want to get our jump on!

Playing Catch Up

2011-05-13T11:38:00.000-07:00

I have lots of things I could blog about, but not a lot of time to develop them into long posts. If Blogger hadn't been down for two days I would have written something spectacular. Looks like we all missed out! So instead we get the shortened version of things at the Veggie House. Here we go!

1. I ran a 5K a couple of weeks ago. The first in my summer race series. I really hate running 5ks, but I wanted to get back into racing. I made a couple of rookie mistakes in my line up, causing me to go almost .75 miles before hitting my goal pace, which threw the whole race off. In the end, though, I still managed to set a new PR of 25:28 and get 3rd in my age group. I think I even get a prize. I may run one more 5K this summer or fall just to try and get under 25 minutes. I think I can do it!

2. I am having an obsession with sweet potato fries. Costco has a big bag of the Alexia brand ones that you bake in the oven. They are delicious. I could eat them every day. But I don't.

3. Kate seems to be weaning herself. Hmm. Not very happy about this, as I was determined to persevere, but maybe it's for the best. I need to go to some of Young Women camp in July anyway, and it was going to be tricky with a nursing baby.

4. I am getting excited for school to be out! I am not usually excited for summer vacation because it's hard to keep kids happy all day, but I think it's going to be a great summer. I am also excited there is a month left of school so that I can prepare some awesomeness for the kids.

5. I actually cleaned out some drawers and papers and things this week. I feel so accomplished. But don't open any closets if you come over, okay?

6. Kyle and I are like two ships passing in the night this week. I miss him! We had a great date last Saturday where we talked and laughed like we haven't in a long time. It felt like the early dating days of 1998. Then he made me a most fabulous Mother's Day dinner (with Jonas as sous chef). I am still thinking about the panko-crusted halibut with lemon, basil and tomato sauce. He also made chocolate pots de creme with white chocolate whipped cream and fresh raspberries for dessert. Dreamy.

7. Thanks for reading this blog. I mean it. There are so many blogs out there, and so many ways to spend your online time. It means a lot to me that you read and even occasionally comment! I'll try to make it worth your while.

Not Cool

2011-05-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

I was in Trader Joe's the other day picking out a few things with my four kids in tow. The store was kind of busy, and we were running a little late to dance class. I found what I thought was the most efficient checkout line and moved to end of it. From behind me I head a voice. "Wait, wait, you didn't see me. You didn't see me, did you?" I turned and watched as a middle-aged woman sidled (slinked? slid?) right in front of me in line and put her groceries down. She turned to me again (me, with my 4 kids and less than 15 items) and smiled "You didn't see me, did you? You see, I was in this line, but then I left to go talk to someone." And then she turned to get her groceries rung up. I was baffled, and at a loss for nice words to say. Last time I checked, if you leave a line without asking permission from those behind you to return to your place (or without leaving someone in your place) you have lost your place in line. She must have been gone quite a while, because I did not see her as I scanned all of the lines and then moved to the one I chose. But I just put a polite smile on my face and waited my turn. The cashier gave me a funny look -- one that said "Sorry, not sure what to do about this nut job" and then rang his bell to summon another cashier to ring me up "immediately."

Later that day I was at the library returning some books. Our library is especially lame because there is a very small slot to return the books in. You can only do about 2 at a time. I had several books to return, and was getting them out of my bag and placing them in the slot two at a time, clearly taking my turn, when a middle-aged woman slid right by me and started putting her books in the slot. But she didn't have just one. She had at least three sets. So then I had to wait for her to finish. Really? What makes people think whatever they are doing is more important than whatever I am doing? I didn't say anything to this woman either, but the next middle-aged person who cuts in front of me in line had better watch out! I'm not as nice as I look.

PS -- But of course I feel bad for even typing this up! Maybe I am nice. Too nice.

Princess Kate

2011-05-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

Forget Kate Middleton, we have Kate Michelle. Okay, so Kate Middleton (what's her new last name now? I have no idea! Isn't that funny? I'm fairly certain Prince William has a last name, but I can't think of what it is --- wait, Google just told me it is Windsor, or Mountbatten-Windsor) did look lovely on her wedding day, although I didn't really watch the wedding. When I told Kara there was someone becoming a new princess, she said "Huh? Not fair! I want to be a real princess!" So cute. Anyway, here are some snaps of our little princess Kate:

Kyle looks so thrilled to have his picture taken, doesn't he??

Weekend Review

2011-04-25T20:34:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend here, as I'm sure it was for all of you. Saturday brought us the best weather of the year -- sunny skies and 68 degrees. I started the morning with a memorial walk for my friend Sharen, who passed away a year ago. I wanted to do something to remember her, so I organized a walk on the bike paths where we trained for our marathon. We had almost 40 people show up. It was nice to be outside on a beautiful day and remember a beautiful friend.

Next up was outside work and and Easter egg hunt. Then we had Hayden's soccer game. After that I went for a 9 mile run. It was awesome! I felt the best I've felt in a long time, and had a nice quick pace. The only bad part about the run was when I passed some hippie fest in the park and had to run through a wall of body odor. Wow. Not pleasant, but one of the hazards of my city.

We went out for a quick dinner and then came home to get ready for Easter, which meant ironing, baking, and cleaning up the house. I almost forgot to put out goodies for the kids from the Easter Amy, because we don't do the Easter Bunny at this house. I just can't keep up with all the mythological figures. Somehow pretending a large bunny comes in our house is just too much for me.

Easter Sunday was nice. We had three families over for dinner and I didn't take one photo. Oops. I especially enjoyed the homemade German chocolate cake my sister brought. Yum. Still running off that one.

Here are some snaps from the weekend. Can't wait for the next one!

From the walk for Sharen -- scooting, walking, talking, snacking. It was a lovely time.

Jillian made an awesome chalk creation to wish everyone Happy Easter! It was too big to fit into one photo.

The girls trying not to peek while the dads hid the eggs.

Kara with a funny chocolate mustache. Post egg hunt, of course.

Kate loved pulling dandelions while the kids hunted.

Not the best photo, but this is all the kids were willing to do. But they are all smiling! Kate was so happy. I couldn't keep her from flapping her arms.

Love this one.

These two were the most matchy-matchy. I made all of the girls bracelets.

Notes: The Thank You edition

2011-04-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

Dear Angie,

Thank you for teaching my how to zip my pants properly when we were college roommates. I can't believe I didn't know that after you zip your pants, you need to put the slider down to lock it in place. This has been valuable information. I am now very competent at zipping; and my zipper doesn't fall down anymore, eliminating awkward moments. You taught me many things those years we lived together, but how to zip my pants has been the most useful.

Dear ep,

Thanks for always being there at mile 19 during the Boston Marathon. And organizing awesome outings and activities for all the Boston peeps, like apple picking, maple sugaring, clambakes at the beach, and other such things. I am homesick for my old home in Boston. Have a wonderful Patriot's Day!

Dear Kids,

Thanks for saying "I love you" more than "I hate you." Because two of you said "I hate you" this week and I have to admit, it's stinging a bit. Is this what I have to look forward to in the teenage years? Yikes.

Dear Kyle,

Thank you for being so diligent about the budget. Budgeting together is one of my favorite bonding times. Just don't judge me on all of my purchases, capice? I can't always remember what I bought at Target 6 weeks ago, and the receipts can be cryptic. Just be happy I stay within the budget! You're so handsome when you're doing an excel spreadsheet.

Dear Weather,

Thank you for promising sun this week. Now deliver. Or else.

Dear Family,

Thank you for being such adventurous eaters. The lettuce wraps were pretty good, no? Well, even though some of you thought they weren't great, you didn't complain too much. I hope you like the thai peanut noodles this week! And the paninis. Yum.

Dear Body,

Thank you for responding to my reduced caloric intake by shedding a pound or two. You rock. Only 6 more pounds! You can do it!

Dear Easter Candy,

Thank you for being so patient with me. I'm finally going to buy you this week, but I don't want to over consume. Don't take it personally. I do love you.

Dear Blog Readers,

Thank you for your comments. I read them all and they really do help me out. I am continuing to nurse Kate and am also finding some success in losing weight again. We'll see if I can keep it up!

Stuff

2011-04-10T20:23:00.000-07:00

Um, zero comments on the last blog post. Do you think I was lying about Kyle doing the ironing? Am I boring you? Is blogging over and done with (like MySpace)? Do I have to resort to shameless cute baby photos to get comments? Okay, if that's what it takes.

The first three were taken by Hayden. He was playing with Kate in his room and wanted to take pics of her. The last is of her doing one of her favorite activities -- splashing and kicking in the tub. This girl loves water!

Also, I think I have to retract my earlier statements about Scouting. We went to our first pack meeting and it was a lot of fun. And then I bought Hayden all of his Scout gear and he was very excited. So, on second thought, I'm glad he'll have something all his own that he can do with his Dad and me. He's very motivated to earn badges and whatnot. I guess I'll just go with it!

Here's his mini rap about being a cub scout:

And that's about it. Life is churning along at a pace I can hardly keep up with, but each day is peppered with small moments of good stuff. Like reading Easter books to the three oldest kids, even though the oldest two can certainly read to themselves. And kissing cute baby Kate all over her chubby little arms and face, and watching her clap. And taking a Sunday afternoon nap. And a fun date night with cool friends and lots of laughs. Life. Is. Good.

I hope things are good for you too.

Love, Amy

Seek the Good

2011-04-03T21:59:00.000-07:00

Today as we were watching General Conference I felt very humbled and blessed. The talks were inspiring and thought-provoking, as usual, and I enjoyed the whole day. I don't think I've heard this much of all four sessions of conference in a long time. It was good weekend. Any weekend with abelskievers is a good weekend! During Elder Scott's talk (a departure from his regular treatise on repentance, he instead spoke about marriage and relationships) I looked over at Kyle and pondered about the man I married. He was in his pajamas, ironing (hey, the ox was in the mire), wearing a silly hat Kara put on his head, and making faces at Kate, who was intently watching him. Yeah, I've got it good. While I was at a camp meeting tonight (did you know I am an assistant stake camp director??), he played a game with the kids where they made disgusting concoctions on top of tortilla chips and dared each other to eat them. Hayden had one with red pepper hummus, red jelly bean, caramel sauce and ham. Again, awesome. I'm kind of sorry I missed out on that one.

When I came home they were all cozied up in the family room, watching something on BYU TV. I love that I can very confidently leave Kyle with all four children and know that the house will not be destroyed when I get home. In fact, he is very good about helping the kids pick up. Many of the talks this weekend inspired me to be a better wife to my great husband. I'm glad I have such an amazing person in my life. Being married to Kyle is good.

Here's a cute snap of us from April 2005, when we took a short cruise to the Bahamas. We haven't changed much since this photo!

Feeding Sprout

2011-03-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

(Kate checks herself out in the mirror at her 7 month check up. A 7 month check up happens when you are late for your 6 month check up. She weighed in at a healthy 19 pounds. )

I am trying to nurse Kate for an entire year. This is a feat for me. Here is a brief (and non-graphic) history of my nursing experience:

Jillian did not nurse well in the beginning. I was clueless, she was clueless and hungry. She weaned herself at 7 months. Done deal.

I wanted to do a better job with Hayden, and I did. For a while. Then I started gaining back weight I lost and gave up nursing at 6 months so I could lose the extra weight I gained. It took me a long time to lose those 17 pounds, but I did. This experience really started my regular exercise habit, one I've kept up for 8 years now.

I wanted to do a better job with Kara. She was great at nursing and it was easy. But then I started training for a marathon and pretty much had to stop nursing at 8 months. Turns out I couldn't keep up with her 20 plus pounds of hungry baby weight and run 40 miles a week.

So here I am with Kate. She is a stellar baby. She eats well (and quickly!), and is starting to sleep through the night. Kate is loving baby food and finger food and especially loves water. Watching her gobble water is so entertaining. Now she is almost 8 months old and I haven't even started weaning her. She has a bottle of formula about twice a week just so I have the option and can leave her with a babysitter, but I've been very diligent about not starting her on too many bottles, because then it's just too easy to wean them off nursing entirely. But now I'm getting antsy. I'm kind of tired of the extra 7-8 pounds my body can't let go of while I'm nursing. And summer's coming. A few of my clothes are not going to fit at this weight, and I'm tired of buying a size up. And I'm tired of the extra large nursing chest. Today while I was nursing Kate, it went like this:

Nurse. Stop. Bounce legs against chair arm. Nurse. Stop. Blow raspberry. Nurse. Stop. Look around the room. Nurse. Stop. Bounce legs. Nurse. Stop. Grab for hair, button, or anything else in reach. Repeat for 5 more minutes.

I am at an impasse. I can't lose much more weight while nursing (apparently, since I haven't lost any in about a month), but I really, really want to. And I'd like to keep nursing, but I think Kate might be losing interest. Any words of wisdom? Kate is most likely my last baby, so I don't want to give up this bonding experience too soon. Do I just have to choose one or the other? Anyone have success in losing all their baby weight while nursing? I know some people get skinnier, but I am not one of those. For the record, I am eating pretty healthy and I am exercising a minimum of 4 days a week. I don't feel like I can really eat less because I am hungry from exercise and nursing. I am trying to eat less at night and cut back on sweets. I know I can lose the weight after I stop nursing, but I'd love to do it while nursing.

I do feel like I can keep nursing and be okay with the weight thing. I am trying my hardest. It's just that I feel so much happier when I look my best. I keep thinking about how my clothes fit when I'm at my ideal weight. I am just so much more comfortable. Here are my favorite jeans:

They still don't quite fit. At least not comfortably.

And it's almost time for swimsuit season, which strikes fear in most women who have reached a certain age or had children. I'd like to feel a bit of confidence.

I know this may be a bit of a shallow topic, but it is something that's on my mind. I've received lots of compliments from people, so I know I am making progress. I'm just wondering about others' experiences. Have you weaned too early and regretted it? Have you been able to get off all your baby weight every time? Is Kate not the cutest baby you've seen? Okay, maybe not the cutest, but right up there!

Let me know what you think! Until then, I'm off to nurse.

8 is great!

2011-03-30T20:38:00.000-07:00

Our little Pea, H-Dawg Hayden, turned 8 last week. He had a pretty good birthday (Chuck E. Cheese's, out to dinner at Dickie Jo's, and then to the movies to see Tron:Legacy in 3D). Then he was baptized last weekend. I'm glad he made the decision to be baptized. I hope his church membership is a blessing to him throughout his life. He is perhaps the most spirited of our children, but he may also be the most spiritual. Some other things about Hayden:

Hayden is great at Legos and K'nex, loves to play soccer and basketball, still takes hip hop lessons, is learning to beat box (much to Jillian's dismay), is super skinny like his Dad, gobbles up books -- especially fantasy, won't go to bed at night without giving his Mom a hug, loves to eat spicy and interesting foods, burns more calories playing Wii that anyone I know because he constantly bounces, just started piano lessons, and is an all-around great kid. We love him!

I am excited that he is 8, but I am not excited about starting cub scouts. Can I admit that? The whole scouting thing kind of seems like a lot of work for parents (meaning Mom). I didn't grow up with brothers in scouting (my only brother did most of his scouting when I was already out of the house), so I don't really have anything to base my opinion on. I'm kind of glad we only have one son because that means only one scout! (Feel free to correct me if I'm way off base about scouting. I'd be happy to hear anyone's opinion.)

Photos of Hayden's fun are below. Enjoy! Comment! Follow! Or not.

So excited to open presents. I think he got everything he wanted.

Thinking he's a little too old to be getting his picture with Chuck E. He may be right.

Hayden Kyle and Kyle. Will he be as tall as his Dad? We'll see!

So handsome in his new blazer. He said he was going to wear it to church every week.

The whole family. Jillian gave a great talk at the baptism. I'm thankful for her for doing it!

My Dad came over for the baptism. My Mom was sick, so she couldn't make it. I always love to have my Dad visit. He's a lot of fun. He made some special time for Hayden.

Me and my son. I'm so happy to have him in our family and in my life. He actually looks the most like me, although his coloring throws everyone off. He is a good example to me, and I hope I am to him too. Happy Birthday, Hayden!

Visitors

2011-03-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned that we love visitors? The P family recently relocated from St. Louis to Washington, so now they are in driving distance of our casa, and vice versa. We met them in Michigan, although Jan and I had a class together at Ricks College way back when (it was the '90s). Our children line up pretty well in age and gender, and we had a great time reconnecting. We've each had one more baby since the Michigan days, and all 12 of us fit just fine in our house. Here are some photos from our weekend together:

Here's the newest little member of the P family. He is such a cutie. I love his reddish hair.

Hayden and A share a birthday weekend, and a really big cake. They each got their own set of candles. They were both really good about sharing. H turned 8 and A turned 10.

H and D. Still buddies. They played really well together. D was nice not to get mad when Hayden went through some, ahem, difficult moments.

S is 4 and a half now. She was not quite 2 last time I saw her. She is VERY tall and has lots of personality. She kept wanting me to take her picture, but would only give me this face. So funny. I liked getting to know her better.

Jillian and A were up to all kinds of shenanigans all weekend. It was fun to see them back together. And oh my! A is so pretty.

S and Kara play dress up. They played dress up and Polly Pockets for hours. Happily.

We explored campus a bit on a sunny morning. The kids did not want their picture taken in the sun, but we had to get them all together. This is as successful as it got.

Dr. J. (the orthodontist) and little J at Chuck E. Cheese's. The only pic I have of Joe, so I had to post it.

Me and Jan! She's my BFF (That's a joke because Jan is so not about BFF's). Anyway, I love her to pieces. She kept cleaning things up and being so helpful it made me feel bad. And we enjoyed 2 runs together just like old times. And she totally beat me on the 50 yard dash. Twice. And she has the most beautiful hair. I'm glad we're still friends. If only there was a Potbelly Sandwich shop here. We could have gone and ordered The Wreck sandwich just like we did once a month when we lived in Ann Arbor. How I miss Potbelly's! Even though I don't really eat lunch meat anymore, I would eat The Wreck with Jan. Am I rambling? I feel like I'm rambling. I'm going for LONGEST PHOTO CAPTION EVER (on this blog).

Next time maybe we'll visit them in their new town. From what I hear, it's really hopping! We can't wait for our next set of visitors. Let me know if you want to join the list! (It's very short right now. As in no one until July.)

The Jimmer Show

2011-03-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

So we went to Las Vegas, Kate, Kyle and I. It was a great time. I was very wishy-washy up until the very end, wondering if we should really go, wondering if we'd have a good time, wondering if my sweet friend who was watching our kids would have her baby while we were gone (she didn't). I am so glad we went! Although it wasn't a super relaxing vacation, I loved, loved, loved:

a. The sunshine (80 and sunny the three days we were there).
b. Catching up with old friends (one saw us on the jumbotron then we met up after a game).
c. Watching basketball! I love college basketball almost as much as I love college football -- which is to say A LOT.

The BYU vs. New Mexico game on Friday was the single best sports watching experience I've ever had. It was amazing and so much fun. We got our tickets through the University of New Mexico, so I was a little worried about being right in the middle of their fans, but we ended up with a lot of other BYU fans and the New Mexico fans were really fun to be with.

We went to Las Vegas with some friends from here, Susan and Harold. It was so fun to hang out with them. We rented a house in Henderson and that worked out great. Between eating out, getting Kate some sleep, and going to basketball games and seeing old friends, we really didn't have time for much else (like shopping gambling, or going to any shows). It was a quick weekend, but a fun one. And -- bonus -- all the kids were really good at home. Now we're enjoying March Madness and getting ready for spring break. Some of our very best friends from Michigan are coming to visit and Hayden is getting baptized. Did I mention we're really busy lately?

Anyway, here are some photos. Go Cougars!

Outside the Thomas and Mack Center. Ready for some basketball!

We sat on the 3rd row for the first game. Here's Jimmer warming up.

The three of us -- all superfans. Kate especially.

The back of the onesie I made her. The front is the Y logo. I ordered her hairbow from a shop on Etsy. It was soooo cute! And got her on TV, which was my goal. I am a secret backstage mother. You'll see me next on Toddler and Tiaras.

Us with the Jimmer sign. We couldn't figure out how to meet him in person.

Me and Susan. She's a great friend and I love hanging out with her. We had lots of laughs. Her sister and fam came too, and it was fun to meet them as well.

Kate fell asleep during the last few minutes of the New Mexico game. Everyone was screaming like crazy and she just fell asleep. Have I mentioned what a good baby I have?

The first day we were there this guy was handing out all of these signs. We had lamest one, Logan Magnusson. But it made a good souvenir for Hayden.

We met up with my old roommate Megann for some burgers (and great sweet potato fries) at a little place called Bachi Burger. It was fun to catch up for a bit. I'm glad Megs made time in her schedule to meet us. She's an amazing world traveler and such a positive person. She was a fun roommate too.

I don't have a picture (why didn't we take one??), but we met up with Steph and Ryan too. They were our friends at BYU before we had kids. And then we both moved back East and got to see each other there too. I was with Steph on 9/11 at her house in upstate New York. Anyway, we haven't seen them in about 8 years, so it was fun to reconnect. I love having friends who stay friends no matter how much time has passed. Awesome.

Note(s) to Self

2011-03-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Self,

If you've trained your baby to go to sleep without being rocked or nursed, don't be surprised if she refuses to go to sleep on an airplane, even if it is 1am.

Dear Self,

It's only 8 pounds. And she'll only be a baby for a few more months. Hang in there and keep nursing! You'll lose it soon enough.

Dear Self,

No, you can not have any more dark chocolate today.

Dear Self,

It is time to mop the wood floor. NO MORE EXCUSES. Just do it. You have company coming, for goodness sake.

Dear Self,

When you write things down on the calendar, you remember to do them. And you don't double-book yourself. And life just runs more smoothly. So write things down. Your memory isn't what it used to be.

Dear Self,

Why do you keep forgetting to throw a couple of handfuls of spinach into your smoothies? Is it because you secretly think they will taste bad?

Dear Self,

Yes, you should get your hair highlighted. You cut everyone else's hair in the family (Kate's looks especially cute!) so you deserve a bonus.

Dear Self,

Please, please, please make an appointment to get the van's automatic door fixed. It's been almost three months and it's getting ridiculous. Not to mention harder and harder to open.

Dear Self,

Maybe just a tiny bit more dark chocolate. Because you did the ironing today and you were nice to the kids.

Dear Self,

You should blog more. Especially about your Vegas trip. And maybe something thoughtful about womanhood. Nah, maybe not that last one.

Dear Self,

Go to bed. Now. Well, right after you make lunches, feed the baby, and have a bit of chocolate.

Souped Up

2011-03-09T14:13:00.000-08:00

I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off today, trying to get ready for our trip. Kyle, Kate and I are going to Las Vegas to watch BYU and The Jimmer Show. If you haven't heard about Jimmer, you must be living under a rock. Anyway, we hope the team does well and that we have lots of fun. I need a vacation badly, so I am very excited. However, it is very tiring getting ready for a vacation, especially when leaving 3 kids at home. We are so lucky to have good friends to watch the kids. Thanks, Rex and Brit!

We have to leave right after dinner, and I know things will be rushed, so we're having an easy meal -- grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. I'm going to spice up the tomato soup, though, with an easy add-in that Kyle discovered. I don't think I'll ever do just plain tomato soup again. Here's how you do it:

Souped Up Tomato Soup

Take one 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes (no spices) and drain off a bit of the water. Pour the rest into an 8x8 baking dish.

Drizzle 1 T olive oil over the tomatoes in the dish. Then sprinkle the tomatoes with 2 t Italian seasoning.

Now roast the tomatoes for about 30 minutes in a 375 - 400 degree oven.

When you make your canned tomato soup, use milk. Then add in your roasted tomato mixture and heat the soup as you would normally. Then you can choose to blend or puree the soup for a smoother texture, or leave it chunky for a more rustic version. Depending on your preferences, you can also add 2 T cream for a richer version.

So delicious! The tomatoes add a lot of depth and flavor. I hope you try it and enjoy!

Off to Vegas, where I will attempt to stay on my healthy eating diet and exercise. Or eat myself into a stupor at a buffet.

Closer to the Middle

2011-03-05T22:00:00.000-08:00

Every birthday brings me closer to middle-age. I still feel young, but my body is starting to show signs of age -- a stray gray hair, a few more wrinkles, my ever-worsening eyesight. I am experiencing that weird phenomenon of not feeling older as I watch my kids grow up. How can I have a child who's 10? I'm not old enough for that! How can I own a house? Who trusts me with this baby? Who trusts me with 4 kids? I'm sure many of you know the feeling!

So, yes, I did have a birthday. Quietly this year. I haven't even claimed my birthday burger at Red Robin yet. Probably because I haven't eaten a hamburger in about 7 months. I'm still hoping to cash in at Coldstone and Qdoba. Next birthday I am halfway through my 30's. Gulp.

Here are a few snaps from the day. Thanks to those who remembered and sent well wishes! Kyle, Kate and I spent Saturday shopping in Portland, then we had a few friends over for ice cream sundaes (w/ homemade hot fudge and berry sauce) on Sunday. I can't believe how embarrassed I was to have people sing to me when I blew out my candle (Kyle said it was symbolic of 34). I am very silly.

Kate and I enjoy lunch/dinner/appetizers/tapas? at the Cheesecake Factory. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon. Kyle and I ordered 5 small things and shared them all. Delicious! Dessert was to go because we were stuffed.

Kara helps me model our family's new birthday crown. You know you wish you had this to wear on your birthday. Dollar store!

I asked for a medicine ball and kettlebells for my birthday. I am determined to be in the best shape of my life. Determined, I tell ya. Even if I still have 7 pounds of baby weight to lose.

Jillian artfully arranged my presents and cards and then wanted to take a picture.

Fitting into pants again calls for a Fashion Friday snap. Ta da! This was actually taken on a Thursday, and posted on a Saturday. If you average those two together, you get Friday. My sister sent me this cute polka dot scarf for my birthday. This outfit isn't thrilling, but it is cute and comfy and I liked it.

March means Hayden's birthday (he's 8 this year!) and spring! I can't believe winter is almost over. That wasn't so bad.

Too Many Chefs? Not so!

2011-02-24T20:32:00.000-08:00

We had 10 chefs in the kitchen for Jillian's party, and they all had a great time. The evening began with decorating aprons and chef hats with fabric markers. I got the hats and aprons at Michael's craft store. The girls really enjoyed that. Then, as they finished, they came to the kitchen to prepare their own pizzas (I par-baked the homemade crusts earlier in the day so they would cook faster). Other girls worked on cutting fruits and veggies for a fruit salad and a veggie tray. We also made a dip for the fruit. Then a few girls set the table and we all got to eat.

Next we went upstairs for three games. The first was a taste test game where they had to try spices and guess what they were. It was funny to see them try things that didn't taste very good. Then we did a relay where they had to move marshmallows from one bowl to another using spoons and wearing an oven mitt. The last game was figuring out tricky kitchen utensils. They liked all of the games.

Then we came back downstairs to do a craft. I had them paint the handles on wooden spoons. This was fun and easy, and they got to take the spoon home as part of their goody bag.

Next we had cake and ice cream. The apron cake turned out pretty cute. I made the cake and frosting from scratch. It was fun to do a cake. I haven't done one in a long time.

After cake came -- presents! I noticed that the girls crowded around so close to Jillian just like little kids. I guess kids don't ever outgrow that, huh?

Then the girls went back upstairs to play Wii. I got Cooking Mama for them to play, but they had more fun with Just Dance. It was a long party -- 2 1/2 hours (or 3, if you were one of the girls whose parents didn't come on time!), but it went perfectly. Everyone had a great time. They took home goody bags with a small rubber spatula, cupcake liners, recipe cards, their spoon, and some candy, along with their hat and apron.

Three things that made this party a success:

1. Preparation -- there was no time during the party to prep, so it was a good thing I had everything ready beforehand.

2. Kicking Kyle out of the house with the three younger kids. They would have just been in the way.

3. Having Aunt Shauna come help. She was the best! Most of the girls know her, so she fit right in and did everything I asked her to do. Thanks!

I think you could adapt this party for younger kids as well, but the 10 and up crowd loved it. I didn't have to worry about them cutting their fingers off, and they enjoyed learning a little bit more about cooking while having fun. Success!

Chef K makes our fruit dip.

I just loved seeing all their head crowded together. I think J was showing her new DSi to everyone here.

The spice game. Cinnamon, ground mustard, cloves, ginger, garlic salt, and cumin.

All the party girls.

The apron cake.

Painting spoons.

Still in awe of candles on a cake. Some things never change, huh?

Now it's on to my birthday weekend! Hope it's a fun one. Kyle hasn't been feeling well and I've pretty much planned my own party and shopping outing, but sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands or you just end up disappointed. At least, that's what I've learned.

A Decade of the Bean

2011-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Jillian finally turned 10 last week. Seems like she's been 10 forever. Now I can legally leave her home alone, not that she wants me to. And she has to learn to change diapers, not that she wants to. We measured her yesterday and she is 4 ft. 10 inches. Only 6 more inches to grow until she passes me up. It's bound to happen. Her shoe size is a 5 1/2 or 6 right now. She is going to be tall.

My daughter made a dramatic entrance into the world (via forceps -- ouch!). She weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and didn't take to eating well, dropping down to 5 pounds 10 ounces. Once we finally figured the eating and sleeping routines out (rookie mistakes), we all got along swimmingly. Jillian has been a delightful child. I am glad to have her as my helper and friend. Although she has her moments (don't we all?), she is quite perceptive and willing to do as she's asked. She is a wonderful artist and an avid reader. Sports aren't really her thing, but she enjoys playing and being outdoors. She can be oh-so-silly; she does this strange bouncing walk-like-an-Egyptian thing that burns loads of calories. That must be why she's so skinny. Her slim fit pants fall off of her if they are not cinched way up. You can guess which parent she takes after in that department. I am glad she hasn't discovered boys yet (as objects of interest and flirtation). When she does, heaven help me! I hope the height discourages them, because she is quite pretty. It will be so fun to watch Jillian mature into a young woman. She can do anything she decides to do, but she is sometimes timid and fears making mistakes. We have great talks and I hope she continues to trust me. I love her so much.

Being a parent for a decade has made me a bit nostalgic and reflective. This has been my job longer than any other. I value it and want to be good at it. I think I am. I have mellowed so much since Jillian was born. The little things don't bother me nearly as much. I'm able to go with the flow and keep my cool a lot more. I'm grateful for that. I have confidence in my ability to be a good parent. I don't have all the answers, but I do know a lot more than I did on that morning 10 years ago when Jillian was born three weeks early. I wasn't even prepared for her! I had to send Kyle to Wal-mart with a long list of things like receiving blankets and burp cloths. I don't think I'd even had a baby shower. Somehow, it all worked out. And now I get to see Baby Jillian all over again in Baby Kate. They look so much alike. I guess I've come full circle. And I have so much more to look forward to in the years to come. Sometimes, when everyone needs me and things are hectic, I wish there was someone else in the house to answer to the name "Mom." But mostly I love to hear their little voices calling me, trusting me, needing me. I am grateful to be the mother of Jillian Kay, Hayden Kyle, Kara Jane, and Kate Michelle. I know how lucky I am.

The Bean through the years (well, the years since we got a digital camera).

She's somewhere in between 1 and 2 here. Our friends took this photo on their digital camera before we had ours. I know I could scan them in, but I am too lazy. The next photos start with her 3rd birthday and progress up to her 10th. I see a bit of Kara in her too!

Next post: details on the best party ever!

Lovely Weekend

2011-02-15T18:31:00.000-08:00

We had a weekend of love around here. Kyle and I went out for our romantic dinner on Saturday. Then we got home and watched a romantic BYU basketball game. It was all I could do to restrain myself from ironing. On Sunday I made our romantic family dinner. After the kids went to bed Kyle and I had molten chocolate cakes. So good, but so bad for you. By the time Monday rolled around, we were about all loved out. That ended up a good thing because it was a busy day. Here are some snaps from all of our "love"ly festivities.

Kate was our cutest valentine. She got a little sad when I took the box of candy away from her.

I made chocolate chip pancakes on Monday morning. In the shape of hearts, of course.

Molten chocolate cake with raspberry sauce. So glad we froze some of the berries we picked this summer. They are still quite delicious.

Each member of the family has had a little mailbox to receive love notes in. We put them out at the beginning of the month. Such fun.

Jillian's valentines for school. The owl says "I'll owl-ways be your friend." They were a pain to make, but turned out well.

Hayden's alien valentines said "you're out of this world" on the back. I pretty much made all of these. I won't be doing that again!

Romantic dinner time!

Dr. Tall Man brought home flowers on Saturday. They were making me very sick until I took some of the blooms out. Jillian really, really wants the red fuzzy heart in the bouquet.

Place setting for family dinner. Jillian helped me set the table and cook some of the food.

And one more of my cute little Kate bug. She is six months old already! Wow, time goes too quickly. February is going to be over before I know it.

Up next: a cooking party for Jillian's 10th birthday. Jillian + 9 friends = tons of fun! I can't wait to tell you all about it. If I survive.

Sunday Snippets

2011-02-06T21:51:00.000-08:00

Sprout (Kate bug) had her first vegetables. This is a momentous occasion in the life of a veggie bunch child. She had green beans. She spit a lot of them out. But, in time, I am certain she will learn to love her veggies just like Bean, Pea, and Asparagus do.

I taught Kara's class at church today. Sunbeams. They've only been in primary for a month. They were so cute and good. It was really fun to teach them. I'll sub any time for that class!

Kyle made a most excellent tomato soup today. It had some canned tomatoes he roasted in the oven with spices, a can of regular tomato soup, Parmesan cheese, and probably some cream. I don't think I want to ask how much cream. It was so much better than regular old tomato soup. I love it when he cooks.

The kids have a full week at school for the first time this year (2011). They've had so many Fridays off that they're starting to believe they don't go to school on Fridays. I am less than impressed with the schools here. I realize they are having budget problems, but I think cutting school days should be the last straw. I heard our school year is down to 165 days. How behind are my kids going to be when they get to college?

I love dark chocolate. Too much. I hope to get a box of truffles for Valentine's Day. If anyone is reading this.

Friends are so important to me. I am so fortunate to have friends from every place I've lived, particularly as an adult. I love to stay in touch and hear about all the great things my friends are doing. I also feel grateful that I can support them in harder times, as they've supported me. Kyle and I are going to Las Vegas and I'm going to see two friends, Steph and Megann. I haven't seen them in years (at least 8 by my guess). Thanks for being my friends!

Patience is a virtue I could use a little more of.

As my kids get older (J and H), it is getting more and more fun to be with them. We went out to dinner on Saturday. Kara happened to be at Aunt Shauna's, so we just had the big kids and Kate. It was fun to talk to them and hear what they had to say. Tonight they wanted to learn how to play Cranium. I put Kara to bed early (she gets so tired now that she doesn't nap) and we played for about 20 minutes. I'm glad to have them for my friends too.

I hope you had a lovely Sunday. Have a good week too!

Where are we running?

2011-01-27T22:50:00.000-08:00

I took my post title from a song on my running play list. It's by Lenny Kravitz. Good running tune.

Since I took last year off entirely from running, I thought I'd do a few races this year to keep myself motivated and get back into stellar shape. I have 9 more baby pounds to lose, but really I'd like to lose about 14. Running is going to help me lose them all in 2011. So, as motivation, I'm posting my tentative race schedule here on the ol' blog. Just for fun, I'll also post my goal times. We'll see if I make it to all these races. I think it will be fun to try. Great running weather this week. I enjoyed a 6-miler in the SUN this morning. Whoo hoo!

April: 5K Goal: beat previous 5K PR of 25:46
June: Half Marathon Goal: under 2 hours
June: Relay Goal: have a lot of fun
July: 10K Goal: not sure -- maybe around 54 minutes?? Maybe just for fun
September: Marathon Goal: right around 4 hours -- I'd like to be under

There you have it. The next few months in running. I might have to start waking up early again to pull this off. I definitely need motivation to do that!

And some running photos, because every good post could use a photo:

It's the little things

2011-01-26T14:49:00.000-08:00

What's making me happy right now? The little things. Here's a petite list of diminutive things that are getting me through every day. For some reason things are busy and stressful, so appreciating the minutia is a good exercise. Did all my "small" words make me sound smart? Because that was totally my point.

* A good period drama on the DVR to watch after a boring school board meeting.
* Sugar snap peas from Costco to munch on while avoiding too many sweets.
* The Macy's clearance rack, where I scored two cute shirts for about $6 each. Wanna see?
* Snuggling Kate right after she wakes up.
* A sunny, warmish week in the middle of January.
* Pants that are getting too big for me, even though I'm losing weight at a snail's pace.
* A queue of 5 books to read, all of which seem promising.
* Optional lunch bunch after preschool, where Kara can stay for a mere $4/hour.
* BYU basketball watching with Kyle.
* Dark chocolate in its many forms.

I could add more, but then my list wouldn't be so petite anymore. What little things are making your life better?

What to write about?? And my sibs

2011-01-19T22:09:00.000-08:00

Almost every day I have a good post running through my head. I sometimes come up with titles and exact wording and the whole nine yards. But when it comes to actually sitting down to type and add pictures and be clever, I sort of run out of steam. Maybe because it is usually after 10pm when I sit down to type. If I could just hook my head up to a USB port and let the thoughts stream out oh-so-coherently, this would be a better blog. As it is, my blog is just so-so. But I like it, and I guess that's all that matters. Although I hope you like it to. Because I'm insecure like that. : )

Anyway, what would you like to hear and see here on According to Amy?

More fashion?
More recipes?
More self-deprecation?
More cute and annoying kid antics?

Here's one for you: Kara and I were driving home from the grocery store yesterday. I was feeling tired and pensive (must have been the swirling dark clouds in the sky) so I turned on the local classical music station. Go figure, some pensive cello music was playing. I was quite enjoying my moment when Kara asked "What song is this, Mom? 'I Smell Toenails'?" (Wow. I am 99% sure I punctuated that sentence incorrectly. And yet, I am not going to think about how to change it.) Yes, Kara, I am sure that's what it was. Rachmaninoff's concerto for cello. The "I Smell Toenails" movement.

Back to the list:

More deep thoughts and opinions about the state of the world?
More home improvement/craft projects? (This one might be difficult as I'm not doing any.)
More parenting tips? (Do I ever give any of those?)
More relationship advice? (ditto to above)
More minute details of my not-so-exciting life?

Or less questioning, more writing? Less writing, more photos? More giveaways, some videos?

Alright, enough of that. If you have any input, or if you just want to say hi, leave a comment. I'm always curious to know who's reading. Heck, you could even become a follower.

And now, a few photos of me and my great siblings from Christmas. I love to be with all of them, and it doesn't happen nearly enough.

My seesters. Almost in age order. Lisa, Amy, Shauna, Marisa. Shauna is the baby of the sisters. Lisa is 35, I'm 33 (for one more month), Marisa is 31, and Shauna is 28. I think.

And we have a brother! His name is Joel and he is 25. And single. : ) He is everyone's favorite uncle and my favorite brother. By far. My favorite thing about this picture is how I don't look like I weigh 20 pounds more than my sisters even though I do.

Me and my parents. Aren't they young-looking? I found my second gray hair today, so I can't be too young anymore.

The original clan. We wanted some great grandkid photos (all in coordinating clothes), but we had some uncooperative little darlings, so we just got the adults. I have a dream that someday every child will cooperate, or at least not throw a fit, and we can have a decent family photo.

The Brink

2011-01-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

I'm at that point in mothering a new baby when I always get a bit anxious for the next phase. Right now the phase I am most anxious for is the "sleeping through the night" phase. Last night Kate woke me up at 12:00 (after I went to bed at 11:30), 3am, 5am, 6am, 6:30am, and then Kara woke me up at 6:50am. I didn't need to nurse Kate all of those times, just 3 out of 5. Now, that isn't her typical sleeping schedule, but nights like those are hard after 5 months of waking up at least 2-3 times a night. I always feel more exhausted when my babies are 5 months old then at any other time. I also find it harder to nap during the day now that I have 4 kids. There are just too many things to do. I sometimes get a 5 minute nap. Amazingly enough, it does help. If I could have an entire Saturday to just stay in my bed and sleep, I'm pretty sure I could stay there until mid-afternoon. Easily. If I didn't have more self control I might have a serious caffeine addiction. I limit myself to 1-2 Diet Cokes a week, and really I'd like to stop doing that too. But sometimes I am just so tired. I see photos of myself and think "Wow. I look exhausted."

On the other hand, as Kate grows up I feel sad too, thinking of the "lasts". The last baby to sit up. The last baby to roll over. The last baby to nurse. The last baby to snuggle. She's weighing over 16 pounds now, started on rice cereal, and is such an enjoyable little girl. I know that her first birthday is going to be here too soon. But her sleeping through the night can't come soon enough!

Going to bed now.

Looking Forward

2011-01-09T19:19:00.000-08:00

I don't have a long list of resolutions this year, just some overall ideas how to make my life better. And after just one week, I'm happy to say they seem to be working. So here they are:

1. Seek the Good

This comes from the 13th Article of Faith (a tenet of LDS, or Mormon, belief.) I think it's applications are endless and if everyone were to live by it, the world would be a better place. Here it is (in case you can't remember or are unfamiliar with it):

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul -- We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

I want to post occasionally about the lovely and good things I will find and do this year. One lovely thing this week was a run in the sunshine. For a moment I had a view of the hills and it was just pleasant. I felt gratitude for my body and all the things it can do.

2. Be present in the moment, especially in relationships with those I love.

I am too often ticking items off of my to do list, or thinking ahead to the next task, or looking for ways to occupy my children so I can do other things. I am done doing that. These years are going to go by much too quickly, and I want my children to remember that I was a constant positive presence in their young lives. Kate is already 5 months old! I am blown away by that.

This week I sat down with the kids to play Zhu Zhu pets and Barbies. We all had a great time. Unfortunately they were surprised to have me with them. Yesterday morning I initiated a family Nerf gun war. It was so much fun, but I think it caught Kyle off guard that it was my idea. I am good at checking in with Kyle and letting him talk about his life. I want to extend that more to the kids and to those in my extended family. I know this will be a great blessing in my life. Doing this will also require a sacrifice of my time, but I plan on giving up entertainment like television and other things that don't matter. In fact, I need to finish this post so I can go downstairs to enjoy making cookies and playing games with everyone. I love my family and my role in it!

I also have to make a short comment on the whole issue of body image. I have struggled with my own body image for years, but I think I am pretty much over it all. President Monson's talk about not judging others really helped me because I realized I am much too hard on myself. I have incredibly high standards for myself, and I compare my body to others' on a perpetual basis. I have been able to recognize a few key moments in my growing up that formed these ideas, and I am overcoming them. I do have a goal weight I want to maintain for health and feeling good about myself, but I'm not going to talk much about weight and image anymore (except to let you know when I reach it, because I'll be way too excited to keep it to myself!). I really enjoy dressing nicely and experimenting with fashion, but I don't want to draw too much attention to my outward appearance. A couple more interesting ideas are found here and here.

Couple more quick goals:

run another marathon
do more sewing
have a great garden and flower beds

So there you have it. Amy version 2011. Let's get on with it!

Merry Happy Christmas Greetings

2011-01-02T21:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas was a whirlwind of winter delights. Or something like that. The highlights for me were the food (mostly the sweets I don't get any other time of year), the family (all of my sibs and their kids and my parents), and the fact I got to sleep in my own bed. Hey, I'm easy to please. I had my quiet moments earlier in the month. Once family arrived, it was a week of fun. It's so great to live in the West and have everyone in my family nearby, although we do miss the Midwestern family on Kyle's side.

On Christmas Eve the guys (plus Jillian) went out to the shooting range. For 5 hours. I was at home with Kara, Kate, my sister, and her little girls. We had a nice quiet time, but I missed everyone! Kyle said it was the highlight of his year (did he forget the birth of his child??) so I'm glad they went. Then we all got back together around 4:30 for dinner, a nativity play, carols, and seeing Christmas lights. There was a bit of panic when my sister realized some presents got left at my parents' home in Spokane, but we made a mad dash to Target and got most of them replaced 7 minutes before the store closed. I was amazed at how many people were still shopping at 6:53 on Christmas Eve. Maybe they were people who don't celebrate Christmas??

Christmas morning was a haze of stockings, abelskievers, wrapping paper, and trash. Lots of trash. I think everyone got what they wanted. I got an iPod Touch, several gift cards, a cute necklace, and some other little things. Santa brought Nerf guns and Wii games, which excited kids big and small. I always have a hard time buying things for Kyle. It seems gifts are not his "love language". I was so happy with myself this year. I got several things to make his office nicer, including canvases of photos he took, a personalized photo desk calendar, and a walnut M from the University of Michigan. He was really pleased and surprised. Success!

The rest of the days sped by, filled with movies, Wii, games, a sledding adventure, and food. Now the tree is dead, dead, dead, and the house is still a mess. The kids go back to school on Tuesday, and the year begins. Guess I'll clean up and move on. But it was a very good Christmas.

Hayden scoping out his target.

Jillian gets in on the action.

Kyle with the AK-47. Apparently he's quite the shot.

Kate earnestly opening a present with help from Uncle Wayne. Then she took a nap.

My cool brother and the kids' favorite uncle -- Joel!

Hayden with his cousin James. They got along so well.

Kara shows off a present on Christmas morning.

Jillian with her new art supplies.

Me and Kyle at my sister's house. She and her husband made an excellent dinner. Her rolls were divine, even with some whole wheat flour.
It was nice to be somewhere else for part of the day.

My older sister Lisa with Baby Kate. We talk on the phone all the time, but see each other only about once a year, so I always love it when we get together.

Hope your holidays were great too! Anyone for a sugar detox?

Looking Back

2011-01-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

2011 is going to be a good year for me, I just know it. I'm focusing on little things that will make a big difference. But before I make some goals, I want to reflect on the past year a bit. Here's a year in review:

High point: Kate's birth. She is a joyful child who makes everyone smile. Her personality is emerging, and I know watching her grow will be so fun in the next year. I wish being pregnant were easier for me so I could have another Kate this year. Only I'd name him Anders.

Low point: The sudden death of my friend Sharen. I still think of her every day. Things have been hard for her family since she's been gone, and it's difficult not to think about how things might be better if she were still here.

Biggest regret: Gaining 33 pounds while pregnant. I'm sure I could have done better and gained less.

Biggest accomplishment: Hosting family through the holidays with smile. All while adjusting to 4 kids. I think I've done well.

Most enjoyable trip: I actually loved all of our vacations this year, but going to Arizona with Kyle to relax in June was a true vacation, so it wins.

Best meal: Our anniversary dinner at Red Agave (upscale Latin). Close runner up was eating out this week with my parents at Cafe Lucky Noodle (Kyle's salmon was the best I've ever tasted in my whole life).

Worst meal: One of the many meals I sloshed through while pregnant that consisted of dino nuggets and the like. Done with that!

Something I did too much of in 2010: Napped and slept in.

Something I didn't do enough of: Work in the yard and the garden. I have some catch up to do this spring.

Other good things of note:

Kyle and I paid off our student loans.
We went from a one car to a two car family.
We finally had some of Kyle's family visit us in our new home.
We saw my parents three times (I saw them 4!). The kids are really getting to know their grandparents and I'm grateful for that.
We finished reading the Book of Mormon again and moved on to the four gospels.
We found out Kyle's dissertation is going to be published in 2011 in a pretty good journal.

Next post: looking forward!

I'll leave you with a few photos from the year. Happy New Year!

Holiday Snaps

2010-12-22T22:17:00.001-08:00

It's almost time! One more day of frantic cleaning and I should be ready. My family arrives at dinnertime. Yippee! I held off on making fudge until today, which was a good idea because now I won't be completely addicted to it by the end of the Christmas season.

A few Christmas miracles:

It hasn't been raining much this week. The kids have been able to play outside every day. It has been awesome! I even went outside and threw the football around with Hayden while he told me how he is like Jake Heaps (BYU's QB). Then the girls and I did some sidewalk chalk. Good times.

Bean and Pea cleaned the baseboards today and did an awesome job. Usually they do just an okay job. Then I sent them to clean up their rooms. They did a great job and even helped each other. I don't think they fought once today.

I wanted to get down to a certain weight by Christmas time, and I did! Now I officially have 11 pounds to lose. I hope to fit into my favorite jeans by my birthday. That gives me two months. I think they will fit if I lose 7 more pounds.

A "note to self" for next year: hosting lots of family for both major holidays is fun, but exhausting. Let's just hope Kate is sleeping through the night next year!

And a few photos:

Kyle was the assistant coach for Hayden's basketball team. Unfortunately H only played 2 games because the rest were on Sunday.

Kara meets Santa at our ward's Polar Express Christmas party. Very cool.

Kate meets the big guy. She was unimpressed.

Jillian was Mary for the children's nativity. I'm proud of her for doing this because she is often too self-conscious to be in front of a crowd.

We decorated this guy from Trader Joe's one evening. The kids fought over all the candy and he tasted nasty. What a fond memory! Glad we got a photo so we never forget.

A few of my favorite holiday things

2010-12-13T21:49:00.000-08:00

Had to get my "rant" post out of first place on the blog. I don't want to seem like a Scrooge!

Favorite holiday song: "The Christmas Song" (aka Chestnuts roasting on an open fire)
runner up: "Winter Wonderland"

Favorite holiday movie: "Claymation Christmas"
runner up: "Prep and Landing"

Favorite family tradition: Looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve
runner up: Secret Santa

Favorite decoration: The tree!
runner up: the nativity set
runner runner up: the stockings

Favorite part of Christmas day: Opening stockings
runner up: playing games and relaxing

Favorite Christmas story: Luke 2
runner up: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (illustrated by Jan Brett)

Favorite goodie: fudge with walnuts
runner up: homemade toffee or peppermint bark

Favorite Christmas dinner item: homemade rolls with homemade jam
runner up: cheesy scalloped potatoes??

Favorite Christmas breakfast item: abelskivers (or ebelskivers) with lemon curd and sugar
runner up: hash browns

Favorite part of being a parent at Christmas: teaching kids about giving and graciousness
runner up: seeing their faces when they open presents

Favorite part of New Year's Day: staying in pajamas as late as I want
runner up: playing games, watching football, and hanging out

One gift on my list: an iPod Touch

One gift I'm giving: a subscription to Family Fun for each of my sisters

My family is coming in 10 days! The neighbor/teacher gifts are delivered, and my cards are 1/3 of the way done. I started wrapping presents today and it was so much fun. I love the paper, ribbon, and gift tags I have, so that makes things easier. We have a Christmas party this weekend, singing in church on Sunday, caroling scheduled for next week, and then Christmas will be here. I was feeling stressed out on Saturday, but Kyle and I busted things out all day long and even enjoyed a date. I hope your preparations are going well too! What are some of your favorite holiday things?

A Wee Little Rant

2010-12-07T14:14:00.001-08:00

Please forgive me for interrupting your holiday festivities to rant, but I can't keep my feelings to myself! I am so upset over some aspects in the Child Nutrition Bill that cleared Congress last week. I am going to focus on just one thing, though: dinner being served at schools.

Children who qualify for free and reduced lunches (about 31 million) might also be served DINNER at schools under this new bill. I find this absolutely appalling. I'm not even sure why breakfast is served at school, but now dinner too? Where is the parental responsibility? Where is the time at home around the family dinner table? Dinner is not a meal usually eaten during school hours, so why should schools have to be responsible for serving dinner? Are children going to come to school at 7:30 am for breakfast, attend school, go home, and then come back for dinner? Or, even worse, are they going to stay at school for 10 hours straight in order to get their government-sponsored meal?

Most of the families who take part in the school lunch program are also on food stamps, or SNAP (Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program). If children are eating 3 meals a day, 5 days a week at school, then these benefits need to be drastically reduced for the families participating in both programs. I think SNAP has its place. Our family benefited from the program for a while when we were in graduate school, and I felt we received plenty of money to provide all of our meals. I can't imagine how much money we would have saved if our children ate three meals a day at school. As the bill stands now, SNAP benefits are supposed to be reduced, but politicians are guaranteeing that they will be restored. Why take money away from meals at home and transfer it to meals at school?

I am not sure what's going on over in Washington or what I can do about it, but this is not the direction our country needs to be moving in. I don't want children to be hungry, but I also don't want parents to give up all responsibility to the government and the schools to provide meals for their children. Sure, school lunches could be healthier (I actually don't have my kids eat them because so much of the food is processed), but this should all happen on a LOCAL level, using local foods as much as possible. If any of you watched Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on TV this summer, you saw how hard he had to work against the government regulations for school lunches, and how ludicrous they were.

If you are interested in reading more on this topic, here are some recent articles:

NY Times

Youth Today

Post-Trib

Now get a cup of cocoa, snuggle up by the fire, and enjoy the holidays! I promise not to rant again until January.

Holly Jolly Holidays

2010-12-01T15:38:00.000-08:00

I am enjoying the holiday season so much this year. I am just doing the things I want to do -- no pressure to do the things I don't want to do. We set a budget and saved up all year, so I feel like I can spend, spend, spend the budgeted amount and have lots of fun doing it. We're also doing some secret Santa projects for some people who need extra cheering up this year. Feels good.

Today I ordered Kate's stocking and my Christmas cards. I won a giveaway from minted.com via Natalie's Sentiments. She has the best giveaways, and I've won THREE of them. I also did a bit of online shopping. So fast and easy, and no trip to the post office required to ship gifts. My whole family is coming to me (and my sister) this year, and I JUST CAN'T WAIT. It's going to be a great month! I wish the tree was up, but I think we'll have to wait for the weekend to go get one.

Here are a few of the photos that didn't make the Christmas card this year. We got them taken just in time for the rain to begin.

This is the only photo where Kate was smiling, but Hayden's eyes are shut!

When the kids get the camera

2010-11-28T20:34:00.000-08:00

You get some memorable photos. Like these:

I'll spare you the blurry close-ups of the inside of noses.

Love these kids!

Here are some more respectable shots:

Hayden really likes reading to Kate. He's making her smart for me. Thanks, H!

Jillian went outside on our snow day (1/2 inch maybe) last week and made this cute little guy. She's the only one who was interested in playing in the snow.

PC or not, Kara's preschool did a little Thanksgiving play and she was an Indian.
As in Native American.

Fashion Friday - a day late

2010-11-20T15:56:00.000-08:00

I am determined to keep up my fashionista side, despite the fact that I don't weigh what I'd like to. I am getting stronger and losing weight, but it is also coming off very slowly. So I have decided to embrace my curvaceous self and get on with things! No use fretting over something I can't really change, right? So here are a couple of recent outfits. I've decided I need to get better photos and be more willing to be photographed. I feel very silly getting a photo taken of just me. But I shouldn't, right? I should just be more fun and outgoing. Right! (Do I sound like I'm talking myself into this? Because I am.) I am also going to resist buying new clothes until I lose some more weight. As a result, I will need to experiment with making the best of what I have. We'll see how that goes in the coming weeks.

I loved belting things last fall and winter. It's a bit harder to do when nursing, but I still made it work. I wore this outfit to church one Sunday.

Hey, where'd this come from? Kate in the tub. She is getting so big!

I am enjoying wearing some brighter colors even though it is fall.

A scarf hides a multitude of sins. : )

Love Is Elementary

2010-11-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

Today Jillian told me about a problem she's been having. A boy named Finn (short for Finnegan, I'm told) has been following her around and trying to sit by her. If there is ever an empty seat on the bus by her he claims it, even if she tells him she's saving it for her friend. (Then she told me she just gets up and moves when that happens. We had a nice chat about being friendly.) I explained to her that this boy probably likes her and is trying to figure out ways to be around her and talk to her, not bug her. She looked perplexed and I felt so happy in my heart. You see, my little girl DOES NOT LIKE BOYS YET! This is very, very good news. Because she is so pretty. A total boy magnet. (See photos below) I'm always happy when she still acts like boys are nuisance. I breathe a big sigh of relief. I wasn't that way. I liked boys at an early age. In high school I was a flirt. I'm ashamed to admit that now, but it is true. Coincidentally, my sister Lisa ran into the mom of my first grade school "boyfriend" this weekend. His name is Chris. He's married and has three kids now. At the school carnival in 2nd grade he made me a button that said "I love you. Love, Chris" and for Valentine's Day he bought me peanut M&Ms. He was one of the best boyfriends I've ever had.

Hayden informed me that his class has a new rule. No kissing and no boyfriends and girlfriends. He's in 2nd grade. I smiled when I heard that. Jillian said it was disgusting that 2nd graders were trying to date. Then Hayden said he was waiting until high school to have a girlfriend. I am trying to persuade him to wait until college. We'll see how that goes.

As our discussion ended, I repeated the sage advice my mom gave me in 2nd grade, when she was trying to discourage my relationship with Chris. "Amy, it's better to just like everybody the same. Just be friends with everyone." Great advice for elementary love. I could have used a bit more of that advice in high school!

Dreaming Big

2010-11-11T21:52:00.000-08:00

Last night I had a very vivid dream. It's amazing I even got to dreamland, considering I was up at least once every hour helping Kate, who has a cold. But dream I did. See what you make of this:

Oprah Winfrey made me a quilt and wanted to give it to me, but it wasn't quite done. I saw some photos of the almost completed quilt. It was done in kind of ugly (think 80's) pastels. It was a lap quilt size and had I {heart} (really a heart) AMY in big letters. The letters were appliqued on with a zig zag stitch. The whole thing looked kind of crappy. The bottom border was just pinned on because she wasn't done stitching it. I was going to her show to have her deliver the quilt to me. The producers were telling me how excited she was to present me with the quilt. I was on the "dream wedding" show, where someone else was getting a special tent to have a reception in. The cost of the tent was $94,000 because it was all in silk. Suddenly my quilt didn't seem so great. Unfortunately I never met Oprah in my dream, and I remember feeling disappointed when I woke up.

Analyze, please.

That's the way we bowl

2010-11-08T21:41:00.000-08:00

Oh ho ho, how clever am I? So clever that I just recovered all of our iTunes songs from our old computer's hard drive and put them into our new computer's iTunes without any help from Kyle. I feel quite smart. That's s-m-r-t.

But, back to the title of this post. Two weeks ago Kyle got the smashingly fabulous news that his dissertation is going to be published in everyone's favorite accounting journal, the name of which escapes me. But I'm sure you subscribe to it. Anyhow, since publishing is the key to Kyle keeping his job and getting tenure, we are very happy about this news. We decided to celebrate by going bowling and out to dinner. I haven't been bowling in years. And let me tell you, real bowling is not quite like the Wii. We had a great time, despite my doing poorly and Hayden crying. A lot. Kara enjoyed it and wanted to throw the ball all by herself. But when she did, it didn't really make it to the end of the lane. Luckily she was also willing to have help. Here are a few snaps from our outing. I think we'll go bowling again soon. It was great!

Nice shoes! They even had some for Kara. She wanted to take them home.

Always willing to pose.

Hayden waits for his score.

Kate slept through most of it. But she was there!

My New Favorite Artist

2010-11-05T20:10:00.001-07:00

I love portraits. When I go to art museums, I spend the most time looking at the portraits, reading about the people, and imagining their lives. I recently had my portrait done. In crayon. Here is the result.

I liked it so much that I asked the artist to do one of Kate and Hayden. Here's what she came up with. Notice Hayden's ears. So lifelike.

I've heard she works on commission at a reasonable price. Let me know if you're interested. The artist's name is Kara.

Skullet

2010-11-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Our children have unfortunate heads in babyhood. I'm sure it's not from my side of the family, though. (wink). Jillian flattened the right side of her head before I even knew it was possible for babies to flatten their heads. I was super careful with Hayden, seeing as he most likely (fingers crossed!) won't have long hair to hide any unevenness. But you could describe his head as "an orange on a toothpick" when you take into consideration his skinny neck, and the fact that I haven't cut his hair in three months. Kara's head was hairless and bulbous for the first two years of her life. It's still not on the small side. And then we come to Kate. She was born with a cute little head, and it doesn't seem too big yet, but she has managed to wear off a lovely stripe in the back. My friend called this a "skullet." So Kyle and I attempted to tame the skullet last weekend. Imagine baby Kate face down on the granite counter while I try to thin out her thick hair and trim it shorter. Kyle had to hold her head still. Needless to say, it was a short haircut. I'm not sure it looks any better, but I like to think it does. You be the judge. She's still a cutie, and I'm sure she'll have lovely baby locks before long.

Before

After

Front view

See how much hair she's lost!

PS to my family: Can you see a bit of Marisa in Kate? I can!

Baby Kate

2010-11-02T07:30:00.000-07:00

In case you are having a bad day, here are some snaps of my cute baby. Feel free to come snuggle her. A baby snuggle always cheers me up.

After her first haircut. (Post forthcoming)

So styling in her Baby Guess velour outfit. (Best snuggling outfit ever.)

She loves to "talk" to people now. I love to listen.

Showing of her new Kate quilt that arrived in the mail today. Thanks, Jan and Anna. You are so talented. She and I will cherish it.

The Obligatory Halloween Post

2010-11-01T21:33:00.001-07:00

Hey, I love seeing everyone's kids all dressed up for Halloween (and adults too), so I hope you are anticipating my photos as well. I have promised the kids I will dress up next year. This year I just wasn't feeling it. Maybe because getting dressed every day is a struggle. But I'm going to plan ahead, make a theme, and wow everyone with our family's costumes next year. Just you wait.

I didn't mind having a low key Halloween this year. We still had plenty of fun and the kids got plenty of candy. Now we can move on to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hurray!

Kyle's costume looks lame here, but he was Wesley from The Princess Bride, AKA The Dread Pirate Roberts. I was a festive Halloween cat?? Anyway, Kyle will not like that I posted this photo, but trust me, he looked better in real life.

Jillian was totally into being a scary vampire. I hope she doesn't want to read Twilight any time soon. I won't let her!

Kara was a cheerleader. So cute. She loved getting makeup on. Luckily this outfit is much more modest than the one the Oregon cheerleaders actually wear.

Hayden was a ninja. And a very good one. He was inspired by the new Karate Kid movie.

And Kate was a cheerleader too. That's all I could come up with. Can you believe I didn't have any baby costumes around? I looked at two consignment stores and didn't find anything, so I just bought this. It was cute to have someone matching.

Jillian painted this little gourd to look like a ghost. It has made me happy all October. I took down all the Halloween decorations today, but I don't want to get rid of this little one.