Wanted

Anyone living in a two mile radius of my house that is interested in joining a dinner exchange group with three of the most wonderful cooks in all of Laveen?

Deirdre, Jackie and I exchange meals for our families once a week and are looking for a fourth family to include. I know there are some out there who deliver individual meals every night, but the way it has been most convenient for us is to all meet up on Tuesday nights, rotating houses where we meet, and exchange dinners for the rest of the week. Sometimes it's ingredients and a recipe, sometimes the meal is complete and ready to go from the fridge to the oven, whatever is most convenient for the person providing it. Each meal feeds 4 adults. Including sides is optional. And the person whose house we are meeting at provides a 'hot and ready' on that night, meaning the meal is ready to be taken home and eaten that night. It really is a lovely time saver for my family.
We're accepting applications (please include a sample of your most delicious dish) until the position is filled ;) (the applications part is for fun, if you're interested email one of us!)

E's First Report Card

E got his first report card from Pre-K today.

In the comment section his teacher wrote:
"E is an energetic and kind child. An independent learner. Follows direction and enjoys helping others, specially the younger ones. Finds it difficult at times to concentrate on his work and finish it. I am trying to help him by motivating him to stay on task and finish his work."

The grading system is: C = Consistently, I = increasingly, P = Periodically, and S = Seldom
He got an I in:
Chooses appropriate work
Organizes learning activities
Demonstrates concentration
Displays a strong interest in learning and working
Individual work
Group Work
Completes cycle of work
Demonstrates persistence
Demonstrates sense of order
Awareness of and functions within reality
Ability to share
Sense of joy
Accepts guidance and direction
Exercises self-discipline
Shows responsibility for own actions

And he got a C in:
Copes with transitions and challenges
Displays confidence
Express feelings and needs
Relates well with peers
Joins in discussions
Participates and works appropriately in a group
Shows respect fo others and environment

No P's or S's!

Way to go E Boy!

Equation

This:





Minus This:




Equals This:

My happy baby has turned in to the above picture. I took his pacifier away for good just about a month ago and my sunshine has disappeared.

Sigh....

Would You Rather

This is a rather gross or uncomfortable game that the Young Women taught me the year I was a girls camp leader.
I've come to realize that some families are just good at odd things. For some reason I have been blessed with two boys who are exceptional at blowing their noses. I'm not sure how they learned this, but they do it with finesse. I am hugely grateful for this talent.
I babysit two little boys during the day who are both smart and good boys. Neither of them posses this knack. I tell them to blow their nose and they stand there, looking at me, while I hold the tissue over their nose.......... Having been spoiled with my own two boys, I find this completely annoying.
I have also discovered that I would MUCH rather change a messy diaper then wipe a snotty nose. I'm not sure why. I'm not one who gets grossed out by much. I've never been even a little bit squeamish (except for the scene in 'Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom' where the leading lady is in that tunnel full of bugs, just thinking about it makes me get the heebie-jeebies).

So here is my tag for you:
Give me two things that are completely disgusting or uncomfortable to you, and name the one that you would rather.

I would rather change a stinky diaper than wipe a snotty nose.

5

5 Years ago today:

I was 26 years old; I was sitting on my couch holding my sleeping baby:
he was 20 days old; and not due until tomorrow.

My mom died, she was 58 years old.

This post is mostly for therapy. I have three main focuses: my grief, my mom, and some complaining.

Grief is such a personal experience for the individual it belongs to, and this one is mine.
Just because today is the anniversary of the single most surreal experience of my life doesn’t make the wound anymore raw, I don’t miss her more today than I did yesterday or will in 42 days, next spring, or in 10 years. I miss her everyday, and mourn everyday. My heart nerve endings hurt, they’ve been cut with a butterknife, still, 1,826 days later.
One of the must hurtful, and honestly unintelligent questions or statements anyone could say to me regarding my sadness would be:
‘Aren’t you so grateful for the atonement (insert: eternal families, or any other church doctrine)?’, or ‘You’ll get to see her again after the resurrection!’
Well: ‘Duh!’ I am grateful for the atonement, and I do know I will get to see her again someday. But I want to see her today. I’m not good at waiting.

Part of my defense mechanism has been to forget specifics, I’m working on that, and these are things that are vital for me to not forget:

I love my mom.

People my mom loves:
The Savior
My Dad
Melanie
Jeff
Brent
Emily
Alicia
Brian

Jodi
A
Erica

Jodi
Jeffrey
Joshua
Jacob
Brock
Bella

E
M

Dallin
Bailey

My mom is fun and funny.
She is sunny, except for right upon waking. She used to sing a song (she didn’t remember all of the words) ‘Oh how I hate to get up in the morning! Oh, how I’d love to remain in bed! Someday I’m going to murder that bugler; someday they’re going to find him dead!’ She believes those words 100%. I remember on Sundays she would say she was going to go take a nap, and I would beg her not to, because she would wake up so cranky.
One time my sister Emily and I were playing “Don’t wake the dragon”, the gist of this game was to see how close we could get to the ‘dragons’ face without waking her (mom is the dragon). She was sleeping in our red high-backed chair in the front room and snoring (hence: the dragon), man-o-man could she snore! So Emily and I very stealthy, quietly approached said beast, creeping, trying hard not to giggle (I was about 4, Emily about 6), got inches from her nose, and ‘ZZZZZ’ out came the dragons fire (a long, loud snore), we screamed, mom jumped out of the chair, and we ran away laughing hysterically, I don’t believe mom found nearly as much joy in this game as we did.
Ironically, her hatred of waking didn’t stop the Stake President from calling her to teach early morning seminary, she loves that calling.
Mom loves to:
Dance.
Feel the wind.
Travel with my dad.
Watch fireworks.
Sing. For years she served as the sacrament meeting chorister. She would stand up on the stand grinning from ear to ear, trying to catch as many peoples gaze as possible and make them smile back. She believes that singing to the Lord should be a joyous occasion and couldn’t stand to see people with the hymn book stuck in front of their faces, with a dour look on their face. She would even stop the music and reprimand the crowd for not gladly singing.
She loves her grandbabies. One of my sweetest memories was going to her house after E was born; she was lying on the couch, very sick and asked to hold him. She held him up by her shoulder and gave him kisses. I didn’t get a picture.
She loves her friends and has an amazing way of making everyone feel like they are her favorite. Everyone is important to mom. I admire this talent hugely.
Mom loves to read, particularly the scriptures. Every morning I could be sure that when I walked down the stairs she would have them out.
May dad worked nights for most of my growing up years. She would have us ‘little’ kids climb into her bed just before bedtime and read to us. I remember specifically: Tom Sawyer, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, and Manx Mouse.
She can sew anything, paint anything, and cross-stitch anything.
She loves: Chocolate, Watermelon, and Tacos. She also loves Imperial Margarine. The first time A ever went to my parents house while we were dating, he opened the freezer and there were 16 pounds of Imperial Margarine. As disgusting as it sounds she put it on everything. She also made us a treat (that now that I know better I gag just a little thinking about it) it was Cheerios cereal with melted butter and salt, kind of like popcorn.
She loves Christmas. She always decorated our house for every holiday, and I do mean every holiday.
My mom can talk to me like no one else can, she can be silly with me, but is amazing at talking sense to me when no one else’s ‘sense’ makes sense. I can still hear her say when I’m being particularly irrational ‘Now, Alicia…’
When she found something she’s just learned especially interesting she would make the ‘huh’ sound, but not say it, more of a sound, and nod her head, but this nod is more of a whole torso nod. I mock myself when I catch myself doing the exact same thing.
For most of my teenage and adult years when we asked mom what she wanted for her birthday or Christmas she always, without fail said, 'Righteous Children.' I always thought that was the biggest cop out. Now that I am a mother I know it wasn't. That is the thing she wants most. And I can say, at least for 1/6 of that equation that we're trying our hardest.

I’ve learned why so many people have a tendency to canonize people after they die even if they were the most rotten person they ever knew. My mom is a good person, but she wasn’t perfect, but I’m choosing to remember the good.

I know without a doubt that it was not a coincidence that E was born exactly three weeks early, his due date being the day after she died. I got to see her hold him 3 times. This truly is the most tender mercy the Lord has ever shown me.

More than anything I remember that my mom knows the Savior lives, she loves Him, and followed Him exactly as she was asked: I can echo the sentiments of Helaman’s 2,000: I do not doubt my mother knew it.

Here is my complaint:
I can not be happy about this trial. Sure, I have learned so much from it. I am a different mother than I would have been had she been here to walk me through it. I am closer to my husband, whom I rely on for my emotional support, than I was when she was on earth. I have learned to transmit my longing to see my mother into a longing to see the Savior after His return; my focus is no longer on her, but on Him. And I am grateful that I have such a wonderful angel with me (Elder Holland's talk in conference was specifically for me).

If you are lucky enough to know my mom, please post a comment about her, I want to know your memories too.

I have heard time and time again that the Lord never gives us trials that we can’t get through, so I know I can do this. I just wish I couldn’t.

Happy Birthday to My 1st Miracle

Happy birthday to my biggest boy.

Five years old! I can hardly believe it. You're so big now, and smart, funny, happy, loving, you are a good boy with an amazing heart.

I remember so clearly right after you were born how there was just an overwhelming need in my soul to make sure that nothing bad ever happens to you.

You have such a huge spirit that I remember being overwhelmed with amazement at how it could all fit in to that little body of yours, it just filled the whole room up, it still does.

You are my favorite blond son!

I love you with all my pieces.

Unfortunately, my camera is broken, so I can't take a picture of you on your 5th birthday.

The Tire Gods Have it Out for My Family

We've owned our Buick since we moved to AZ. My dad gave it to us, it had just had new tires put on it about 7 months previous.
My first experience changing a tire was only 1 1/2 later (just a crappy brand of tires if you ask me), the tire just blew out on the freeway.
Then we got another flat about 3 months later, had to have that one replaced.
Then we replaced the other two 6 months later. (In case you're keeping track that is now about 17 months ago.)
For about a month we've been driving on a tire that is again going to blow any second, so we had all 4 replaced (a big ouch to the emergency fund).
Now today, I'm driving the truck (a completely different car, even!). I'm picking E up from school along with 3 little girls we carpool with, M was at a ward members house, I have Grant in the car, and we're going to get Cooper to bring him to our house to play. I pull up to the school and one of the dads waiting there says there's a hissing sound coming from my tire (I could hear it too, but what could I do?). I decide to take my chances and take it home. I'm about 1 mile from the first drop off point, on the Salt River bridge: flub-flub-flub, the tire is completely smooshed. I pull over to the side of the road, call AAA, they're sending someone out, they should be there in no more than an hour. An Hour! with 5 kids in the car (4 of whom are not mine). I call one of the little girls moms, she'll come get the girls (who are now screaming, sure that the truck is going to explode at any moment). I call Amberly to tell her that we won't be getting Coop any time soon. She says she'll come get E (she has 3 kids, Cooper (4), and two babies). I'm thinking to myself "It's one o'clock, M hasn't napped yet and I might not get home until 2? M is going to be one grumpy baby."
Amberly, being the super-woman she is, happily agrees to pick M up from Katia's house and let him nap at hers while her two sleep also. She really is a trooper.
After 25 minutes it occurs to me that Danny Stevens is at home and can come help me out, what a guy: he says he'll be right there!
AAA gets there after only 1/2 an hour, to my good fortune (I called Danny as soon as I saw the truck approaching, luckily he hadn't made it out the door yet), they jack it up, get the tool to take the spare down. Apparently the tool to take the tire off is specific to Chevy trucks and 1/3 of the tool is missing, so the spare is not coming down. Where would I like to be towed?
So here I sit at home, Grant is asleep while my two kiddos entertain Amberly, I have no car to get over there to pick them up (A had to take the Buick to work today), and since all the babies are asleep, it's best everyone just stays there.
All I have to say:
I'm grateful for Glenda, Amberly, and Danny. There is a reason why the church is organized the way it is, we can always count on our Stake members to help out.
I'm grateful to Maryjo, she's an amazing aunt.
I'm grateful for cell phones, I would have been up one swiftly moving creek had I not had one.
I'm grateful for prompt service.
I'm grateful to have vehicles that work well.
Thank you's I have to send:
One to Amberly, and a make up playdate at my house so she can have some quiet moments while her babies sleep.
One to Glenda for picking up the girls on her day off.
One to Danny for being willing to help a damsel in distress.

BTW: A was in a meeting all day, so I couldn't reach him to come help. I could have attempted to change the tire myself, but if I'd tried that first I would have been stranded for even longer with the kids in the car, since I wouldn't have been able to figure out that I was missing the tool piece, and then I would have put in a call to AAA and had to wait even longer, Amberly's babies may have been sleeping by then and she wouldn't have been able to make it out of the house, it could have been so much worse.

I've got an itch

And it's not the mosquito bite on my left leg.


I think my blood has been altered by the unbelievable bread in Paris. Before our European trip I never had quite this same need to move. To see the world! It sounds totally corny, I know. I thought once I'd been there, I'd be content, oh no, not so. I need to go back. I can't just sit here in my own little slice of heaven and be totally sedentary anymore. It honestly feels like my body is pulling me to go and have adventures, like my muscles are twitching with excitement.

Anyone up for a little jaunt?




I was watching The Sound of Music the other day and it made it all that much more inflamed (it's like arthritis, only not so achey, and not so bad for my health). Before going I was sure that there was no place that could really be that beautiful, but I was oh so wrong.

Seriously, religious opression must have been a real bummer to make the pilgrims move.

Today -- Nothing Deep

On my mind:
M insists on feeding himself. This morning it was Cheerios. I died just a little every time he took a bite and the milk spilled all down the front of him. I need to relinquish control here.
I was recently involved in an event which left me feeling moderately embarassed by poor performance (nothing risque, compromising or malignant, so stop thinking naughty stuff). I have half a mind to email the others involved and apologize to them, but I would hate to embarass the rest of the party, so maybe I should just suffer in silence (most of you will have no idea what I'm talking about, so please don't take any of our recent interactions to heart and assume I am speaking of you).
Finally started reading 'Breaking Dawn' -- two chapters last night, my husband and children may not see me the rest of the weekend if I pick it back up.
Bunco last night was well worth it.
Anyone interested in having an appetizer party? I sorted through my recipes last night and realized I have more recipes for appetizers than I do for any other food category. I think I've only tried 4 or 5 of the recipes. What on earth am I hanging on to all the rest for? I need to try the others. I'd cook, you just show up, how'd's that sound? No other purpose than for me to try my recipes and decide which ones to keep and which to toss.
My house is a mess. But I really don't care enough to do anything about it today.
Watched 'High School Musical' yesterday, I think it's a good thing I don't have girls. It was fine, I just would never be able to justify seeing it more than once.