but I still appreciate modern technology and the Internet!
I used the Study Notebook tool after logging in on the Church's website and used it to bookmark a neat article I found about feeling the Spirit. Then I added a quick journal entry, too. For a computer junkie like me, I am in love.
Will this replace blogging and regular journal entries? No. But it has sure got me excited about making the most of lds.org and spicing up my own gospel study. Maybe it'll help me spend less time on Facebook and Pinterest, too, ha-ha!
AWESOME!!!
Monday, February 27, 2012
2 for 2
We took the Abs Diet Cookbook for a spin yesterday--Jason and I loved both the Three Amigos Chili and the Philling Cheesesteak. They were quick, tasty, healthy, had simple ingredients, and were LOADED with protein. Had to share!
Three Amigos Chili
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 lb ground turkey (I try to get the 93/7 type)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 (10.5 oz) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10.5 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth (I didn't have this, so I substituted with a cup of water and 1 chicken bouillion cube)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/8 t. ground cinnamon
Hot sauce
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and spices. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with hot sauce.
Makes 6 servings.
Per serving: 293 calories, 31 g protein, 32 g carbs, 5 g fat, 788 mg sodium, 11 g fiber
(I thought I'd add that our kids really don't care for chili, but Rhiannon said this version was better than all the other ones I'd made. Yes, we still made them eat it. :))
Philling Cheesesteak, Take 2
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2/3 c. hot salsa
4 whole grain hoagie rolls
3/4 lb thinly sliced roast beef
1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (I just used the Monterrey Jack that we had in the fridge)
(I added 2-3 fresh mushrooms, sliced, to the mix, too)
Cook onion, bell peppers (and mushrooms) in a nonstick skillet until tender. Add salsa and heat until warm. Construct sandwiches with the roast beef, veggies, and cheese. Warm in microwave for 1-2 minutes or until cheese starts to melt.
Makes 4.
Per serving: 330 calories, 28 g protein, 41 g carbs, 7 g fat, 1,050 mg sodium, 7 g fiber
I made these for lunch, and we didn't miss the Cheez Whiz--that's saying something! :)
Three Amigos Chili
1 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 lb ground turkey (I try to get the 93/7 type)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with jalapenos
1 (10.5 oz) can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10.5 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth (I didn't have this, so I substituted with a cup of water and 1 chicken bouillion cube)
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/8 t. ground cinnamon
Hot sauce
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and spices. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with hot sauce.
Makes 6 servings.
Per serving: 293 calories, 31 g protein, 32 g carbs, 5 g fat, 788 mg sodium, 11 g fiber
(I thought I'd add that our kids really don't care for chili, but Rhiannon said this version was better than all the other ones I'd made. Yes, we still made them eat it. :))
Philling Cheesesteak, Take 2
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2/3 c. hot salsa
4 whole grain hoagie rolls
3/4 lb thinly sliced roast beef
1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (I just used the Monterrey Jack that we had in the fridge)
(I added 2-3 fresh mushrooms, sliced, to the mix, too)
Cook onion, bell peppers (and mushrooms) in a nonstick skillet until tender. Add salsa and heat until warm. Construct sandwiches with the roast beef, veggies, and cheese. Warm in microwave for 1-2 minutes or until cheese starts to melt.
Makes 4.
Per serving: 330 calories, 28 g protein, 41 g carbs, 7 g fat, 1,050 mg sodium, 7 g fiber
I made these for lunch, and we didn't miss the Cheez Whiz--that's saying something! :)
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Dog Drama
Oscar's Cone of Shame lasted a whopping 2 days. I don't know what I was thinking when I said I wanted one of those for him after he got neutered on Thursday. He's supposed to keep it on for 2 WEEKS, but after spraying the dumb thing with bitter spray, then duct taping it, then taking it off, then putting it on again, then finding it chewed again, repeat, repeat, repeat...I JUST COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE, and I bet the poor puppy couldn't either!
On top of getting fixed, we discovered this morning that Oscar is teething in a major way--the clue was the blood all over his chew toys. Man. I cleaned up his mouth and gums and saw probably 3 or 4 BIG teeth trying to push through--YOWCH!
Poor puppy! I think we've reached the dreaded 5-month stage, otherwise known as the "WHY did we get a dog?" phase. Don't worry, we still love him and will make it through!
Math Wizard
Congratulations to Wade
for completing all the 2nd Grade math objectives in Accelerated Math!!!
We are so proud of you!!!
(and thanks to Daddy for getting off work to come to the assembly, too!)
At the Super Star assembly, a long red carpet is rolled out and kids get to walk across it when they complete HUGE goals in the Accelerated Math and Accelerated Reader programs. Wade's friend Nick went across last month and did this super cool karate kick as he was walking the red carpet. For a couple weeks Wade said he was going to try breakdancing across, and he was really excited about it, even practiced some moves. But the morning of he came downstairs and said he'd changed his mind--he didn't want to do anything embarrassing. I seriously begged him to reconsider and gave him my best puppy dog face, but he insisted.
He surprised me. Check out the fuzzy video and see what the first boy in the blue shirt to cross does--I wish I'd gotten closer to see his actual moves, but I could still tell he was breakdancing with the best of them!
You can imagine how happy I was for him to do something brave, silly, and cool when he finally got to walk across!!! (Notice the other kids just did the plain jane stroll, ha-ha!)
Way to go, Wade!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
I wish I could go!
This week Rhiannon signed up for a special conference for middle school girls called Expanding Your Horizons. It sounds SO FUN! She'll get to spend almost an entire day with women who work in the math and science fields here in the community or on the base. We're excited for her!!!
More info on the local conference: Expanding Your Horizons 2012
And here's a fun general video about the program:
Inspired by her favorite show, Bones, she wants to go to all the forensics/crime scene investigation classes!
More info on the local conference: Expanding Your Horizons 2012
And here's a fun general video about the program:
Inspired by her favorite show, Bones, she wants to go to all the forensics/crime scene investigation classes!
Hula hoops, bean bags, and a really great book
I really enjoyed my sub job today. I needed to get out and take a break from other things I was worried about, such as Oscar's little "surgery" at 8am this morning.
A few times a year the 1st-grade teachers get subs and let us entertain the kids with a morning of PE activities while they do testing in small groups. It's pretty smart, and the kids love it. Last time I got the playground station, so it was only fair that I do something different this time. Instead I rotated 4 different groups through
the hula hoops and
the beanbags station!
It was fun. I was REALLY proud of myself for remembering to wear athletic shoes, too. It's not the most professional look, but when you're outside running around for 3 hours, it's the only way to go.
Just before the teachers came back, we got the kids settled back in their classrooms and read books that had been left for us. I absolutely loved this one:
The kids were spellbound, not just by my attractice read-aloud voice, heh-heh, but because of the story itself and the beautiful pictures. It was TERRIFIC! Sometimes it takes a miracle to get a group of almost 30 1st graders settled down, but this book did it easily!
Afterwards I asked the kids what character they'd like to see hop out of a book. I said I'd like to meet Knuffle Bunny. The kids had no idea who that was--maybe that'll have to be the next read-aloud!
Take a trip down Memory Lane with me: Wade reads Knuffle Bunny
A few times a year the 1st-grade teachers get subs and let us entertain the kids with a morning of PE activities while they do testing in small groups. It's pretty smart, and the kids love it. Last time I got the playground station, so it was only fair that I do something different this time. Instead I rotated 4 different groups through
the hula hoops and
the beanbags station!
It was fun. I was REALLY proud of myself for remembering to wear athletic shoes, too. It's not the most professional look, but when you're outside running around for 3 hours, it's the only way to go.
Just before the teachers came back, we got the kids settled back in their classrooms and read books that had been left for us. I absolutely loved this one:
The kids were spellbound, not just by my attractice read-aloud voice, heh-heh, but because of the story itself and the beautiful pictures. It was TERRIFIC! Sometimes it takes a miracle to get a group of almost 30 1st graders settled down, but this book did it easily!
Afterwards I asked the kids what character they'd like to see hop out of a book. I said I'd like to meet Knuffle Bunny. The kids had no idea who that was--maybe that'll have to be the next read-aloud!
Take a trip down Memory Lane with me: Wade reads Knuffle Bunny
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Hats off to moms with little ones!
I'm watching a 4-year-old for a friend all day today. I'll be honest--this kid is good, quiet, and EASY and Oscar LOVES him, but it's been eye-opening being on my own with him all day. How quickly I'd forgotten what that's like, that part about adjusting your own schedule to the speed (or opposite of speed) that a little kid works at.
For example, as soon as Wade left for school, I decided to take the "boys" for a walk. It took longer to get the kid going than it did the dog, and that's saying something because Oscar takes a while to get warmed up to the idea! :)
I decided to kill some time by taking the kid on a marathon of errands. We did burn a couple hours that way, but I had forgotten the "joy" of kids' car seats, especially when the kid insisted on doing it himself.
Ho. Lee. Cow. It's a sssssllllllooooowwwww (slow) process.
We made a list of 6 different errands and got all of them done. The hardest part was getting in and out of that darn car seat each time, ha-ha! I had to take a deep breath and relax, and slow way, way, way, way down for the little guy.
It seems like eons ago since Rhiannon and Wade were that age. The one thing I kept asking myself was,"Were they this slow, too?" :)
Then we went to the park, and all the happiness of our kids' early years came rushing back to me. Again, this little boy was pretty slow at first on the playground, testing things out, slllooowwwlllyyy climbing, etc. But then this little lightbulb turned on and he was LOVING it, trying everything, smiling wide as he'd say, "I can do this! I'm strong! Watch me--I'm gonna do it again!"
A rescue
So, as everyone else probably guessed already, Day 2 of the palate expander wasn't as easy as Day 1. This morning I felt like the worst mom ever--as Wade tried eating soggy Frosted Flakes for breakfast, he got really frustrated and was in a lot of pain. I asked him "where it hurt." His eyes got big and he made this impatient circle around his whole mouth, sort of a "duh, Mom, where do you THINK it hurts?" gesture.
I started talking my head off, trying to encourage him, but I could see him mentally retreating FAST and getting more upset, a preview of the future teen years, I'm sure!
I stopped talking.
I used my brain for a minute.
And then I said, "Let's call Grandma Deb. She's been dealing with a lot of pain lately, too, and I bet she'd know how to help you."
After a quick phone call and some very kind, sound advice from Grandma Deb, Wade put down the phone and shoved a banana in his mouth and started chewing away. He said, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
My first thought was, "Huh, I guess the Tylenol is finally kicking in." But I know the real answer--Grandma gave Wade permission to cry and be upset and then explained the science behind tears. She gave him good ideas for dealing with the pain, too, such as keeping ahead of it with regular pain medication. And I'm sure she said she loved him and would be thinking of him.
Thanks for the rescue, Grandma Deb. We love you, too!
I started talking my head off, trying to encourage him, but I could see him mentally retreating FAST and getting more upset, a preview of the future teen years, I'm sure!
I stopped talking.
I used my brain for a minute.
And then I said, "Let's call Grandma Deb. She's been dealing with a lot of pain lately, too, and I bet she'd know how to help you."
After a quick phone call and some very kind, sound advice from Grandma Deb, Wade put down the phone and shoved a banana in his mouth and started chewing away. He said, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
My first thought was, "Huh, I guess the Tylenol is finally kicking in." But I know the real answer--Grandma gave Wade permission to cry and be upset and then explained the science behind tears. She gave him good ideas for dealing with the pain, too, such as keeping ahead of it with regular pain medication. And I'm sure she said she loved him and would be thinking of him.
Thanks for the rescue, Grandma Deb. We love you, too!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Wade is a Rock Star!
Today was a really BIG day for Wade--he got a removable palate expander and braces on his front two teeth!
He was pumped and ready when we left the house for the appointment.
He started to get nervous when the orthodontist and assistant talked between themselves about getting the braces on.
He picked yellow bands for the braces.
He got excited when he looked in the mirror for the first time.
And he has been a CHAMP about the excess drool and funny talking caused by the expander.
We are so pleased with his good attitude!
What I need to work on is getting the staff to communicate better with me. They are wonderfully nice, friendly ladies, but I haven't been tickled pink about their vague instructions. Here's one example:
Me: Could I get a list of foods he can and cannot eat?
Staff: We don't have something like that. We probably should! Just make sure he doesn't eat foods that are hard or sticky.
Me: Oh...kay.
Staff: He can eat apples, but they need to be sliced up, and no corn on the cob.
So, I left the office with my "key" for the expander, some wax for the braces in case they irritate Wade's mouth, and those vague instructions. We went straight to a birthday party, and I passed on those vague instructions to my friend, who fed Wade some sliced apples. The braces fell off! So 2 hours later, after the office's lunch break, we were back at the office. In their defense, Wade said he took the expander out to eat the apples because his teeth were hurting, and that's probably what caused them to fall off. He's supposed to leave it in when he eats. I guess it was a good lesson to learn on the first day, but come on, people! I need details!
Details like the following website that I stumbled on while trying to find info online to help Wade:
The Never Ending Adventures of Colin and His Palate Expander.
THANK YOU, Colin!
We're having chicken noodle soup for dinner, and I loaded up on Jell-O, pudding, yogurt and ice cream. Any other ideas for good foods would be appreciated!
Added note: I shouldn't sound like such a complainer. I am
THRILLED
and consider us VERY LUCKY that this expander thing is removable! I don't have to crouch down over Wade's mouth with a flashlight and magnifying glass to "turn the key" on his expander. He can take it out to brush well and not worry about food getting stuck in the roof of his mouth.
SO GRATEFUL, SO THANKFUL, SO HAPPY!
Thank you to some random orthodontist in CA with a good website who had information on what to eat and what not to eat, how to provide relief from expander/braces pain, etc. Thank you, Google.
Brace Watcher's Diet
Palatal Expander
Maybe our office here in town just figures you can find everything you need on the Internet, but STILL. I will be talking to them about this!
He was pumped and ready when we left the house for the appointment.
He started to get nervous when the orthodontist and assistant talked between themselves about getting the braces on.
He picked yellow bands for the braces.
He got excited when he looked in the mirror for the first time.
And he has been a CHAMP about the excess drool and funny talking caused by the expander.
We are so pleased with his good attitude!
What I need to work on is getting the staff to communicate better with me. They are wonderfully nice, friendly ladies, but I haven't been tickled pink about their vague instructions. Here's one example:
Me: Could I get a list of foods he can and cannot eat?
Staff: We don't have something like that. We probably should! Just make sure he doesn't eat foods that are hard or sticky.
Me: Oh...kay.
Staff: He can eat apples, but they need to be sliced up, and no corn on the cob.
So, I left the office with my "key" for the expander, some wax for the braces in case they irritate Wade's mouth, and those vague instructions. We went straight to a birthday party, and I passed on those vague instructions to my friend, who fed Wade some sliced apples. The braces fell off! So 2 hours later, after the office's lunch break, we were back at the office. In their defense, Wade said he took the expander out to eat the apples because his teeth were hurting, and that's probably what caused them to fall off. He's supposed to leave it in when he eats. I guess it was a good lesson to learn on the first day, but come on, people! I need details!
Details like the following website that I stumbled on while trying to find info online to help Wade:
The Never Ending Adventures of Colin and His Palate Expander.
THANK YOU, Colin!
We're having chicken noodle soup for dinner, and I loaded up on Jell-O, pudding, yogurt and ice cream. Any other ideas for good foods would be appreciated!
Added note: I shouldn't sound like such a complainer. I am
THRILLED
and consider us VERY LUCKY that this expander thing is removable! I don't have to crouch down over Wade's mouth with a flashlight and magnifying glass to "turn the key" on his expander. He can take it out to brush well and not worry about food getting stuck in the roof of his mouth.
SO GRATEFUL, SO THANKFUL, SO HAPPY!
Thank you to some random orthodontist in CA with a good website who had information on what to eat and what not to eat, how to provide relief from expander/braces pain, etc. Thank you, Google.
Brace Watcher's Diet
Palatal Expander
Maybe our office here in town just figures you can find everything you need on the Internet, but STILL. I will be talking to them about this!
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Noise maker
It's been a good day so far. Wade had a friend over followed by baseball practice. Rhiannon has enjoyed time reading, relaxing, and computer-ing--she's going babysitting in a few minutes. I got a ton of laundry done and cleaned up the messy kitchen. Jason got home from the campout mid-afternoon--we had a good time watching Top Gear's "Big Rigs" episode with him. Oscar got not one but two walks and has been a pretty good boy today. He got a new toy from WalMart:
Rhiannon and Wade made noises with it the entire time we were shopping at WalMart--they were in love with it, too!
Think of the most annoying squeaky dog toy + oinks + Whoopie cushion and you've got the pig--Oscar growled at his at first, but quickly fell in love with it.
Rhiannon and Wade made noises with it the entire time we were shopping at WalMart--they were in love with it, too!
Friday, February 17, 2012
A weekend treat
I've had this lonely jar of marshmallow creme in the back of the pantry for a couple months, bought it on sale over the holidays. I decided to make something with it, but fudge just did not sound good, so I did an Internet search on "marshmallow creme" and stumbled across this--S'Mores Cookie Bars from the website Mel's Kitchen Cafe.
Oh my goodness, don't they look good? I hope they turn out!
I've got a pan baking in the oven right now while we watch the Hugh Jackman movie Real Steel. (So far the kids really like the movie--I've been busy making a mess in the kitchen, sort of following along!)
The recipe sounded so good that I added it to my meager Pinterest page. I dabbled on Pinterest over the holidays and hadn't been back in a while--it is VERY addicting but so fun and useful! Basically it's an organizer for all those wonderful websites/ideas you come across that you don't want to forget, anything from books to recipes to fashion, etc. So far I've found it a very helpful site for Christmas ideas, Wade's Star Wars party, and Cub Scout ideas. The possibilities are endless!
It feels good to get this done
One of my 2012 goals is complete! I finally completed the Volume 2 blog book, covering our lives from August 2009, when we got back from DC, to December 2010. It's ordered and should arrive in a couple weeks. Right now I'm working on the year 2011, and then 2012. It should get a lot easier to keep up once I've finished 2011. Enjoy the preview!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
It's Thursday but it's Friday
I don't know if I've ever looked forward to a 4-day weekend as much as I have this Presidents' Day one! There's something about helping kids through sickness and dealing with crazy winds that just makes me want to pull the covers up over my head! Hopefully I'm not getting what Rhiannon had--I don't feel feverish, just run down and tired.
Last night Wade started baseball again. His practice was at 7pm for an hour, and he did really, really well! His 3 coaches are AWESOME and sure had the boys working hard. It was hard to believe it was a first practice--everyone was doing so well! Wade doesn't know a single kid on his team--it will be an excellent chance to widen his circle of friends. I was proud of him for getting out there and trying his best--his catching was good, and with some tips from his coaches, he had some great hits, too! For the next 3 weeks he'll have practices on Wednesday nights, Friday nights, and Saturday mornings. The Friday and Saturday practices will be longer.
The only downer for me was that after sitting on the bleachers watching Wade for an hour in the cold, I couldn't feel my face. Every part of me was COLD. As soon as we got home and said prayers, I jumped into bed with 3 layers of blankets, wearing my flannel pjs and cozy socks and still felt cold for almost 30 minutes. I guess it takes a while to thaw out.
Today Jason is taking me out for a lunch date (I am so spoiled! :)), then I'm subbing for two hours in the afternoon, followed by piano lessons, some sort of dinner, and Cub Scouts and Mutual.
Here are our weekend plans, so far:
Friday:
5am substitute paper route with Rhiannon
Wade and Jason will work on pinewood derby car
Jason has Scout campout
The kids and I--?? maybe pizza and a movie
Saturday:
SLEEP IN
Rhiannon babysitting in the evening
???--probably some shopping
Sunday:
SLEEP IN
Church
No extra meetings?
Monday:
Wade gets orthodontic appliance and dental cleaning in the morning
Both kids have been invited to birthday parties that afternoon
Yard work date with Jason? :)
Last night Wade started baseball again. His practice was at 7pm for an hour, and he did really, really well! His 3 coaches are AWESOME and sure had the boys working hard. It was hard to believe it was a first practice--everyone was doing so well! Wade doesn't know a single kid on his team--it will be an excellent chance to widen his circle of friends. I was proud of him for getting out there and trying his best--his catching was good, and with some tips from his coaches, he had some great hits, too! For the next 3 weeks he'll have practices on Wednesday nights, Friday nights, and Saturday mornings. The Friday and Saturday practices will be longer.
The only downer for me was that after sitting on the bleachers watching Wade for an hour in the cold, I couldn't feel my face. Every part of me was COLD. As soon as we got home and said prayers, I jumped into bed with 3 layers of blankets, wearing my flannel pjs and cozy socks and still felt cold for almost 30 minutes. I guess it takes a while to thaw out.
Today Jason is taking me out for a lunch date (I am so spoiled! :)), then I'm subbing for two hours in the afternoon, followed by piano lessons, some sort of dinner, and Cub Scouts and Mutual.
Here are our weekend plans, so far:
Friday:
5am substitute paper route with Rhiannon
Wade and Jason will work on pinewood derby car
Jason has Scout campout
The kids and I--?? maybe pizza and a movie
Saturday:
SLEEP IN
Rhiannon babysitting in the evening
???--probably some shopping
Sunday:
SLEEP IN
Church
No extra meetings?
Monday:
Wade gets orthodontic appliance and dental cleaning in the morning
Both kids have been invited to birthday parties that afternoon
Yard work date with Jason? :)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Wade and the perfect FHE lesson
Last night we decided to watch Captain America for family home evening. I expected us to just plop down on the couches and start the movie up, but Wade came downstairs with his brand-new scriptures, ready to give a lesson.
He started by saying, "My lesson is about the scriptures and why they're important. First we're going to take turns saying what our favorite scriptures are and why."
Jason's was Mosiah 2:17. "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."
Mine was 2 Nephi 31:20. "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."
Rhiannon's was the story of Alma the Younger in the Book of Mormon. (see Mosiah 27)
And Wade's was Moroni 10:5. "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Wade wanted me to add that he's loved that scripture since he was 5, and every time he read it before he turned 8, it got him "boosted up" to get baptized.)
We read each scripture and got a chance to share why it was important to us. I wish I could recall everyone's exact words, but I do remember perfectly the good feeling that was present. Wade concluded his lesson by saying, "The scriptures are important because they bring us closer to God!"
The lesson was short, sweet, and to the point.
And perfect!
Good job, Wade!
Want to learn more? See Elder Richard G. Scott's last General Conference talk, The Power of Scripture.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Never say never!
Jason and I went to a dinner/dance at the church on Saturday night. I was excited about going with him and excited about the fondue dinner! I told Jason he was off the hook for dancing because I was tired and my feet hurt. (Man, I sound so whiny sometimes!!!)
I'm glad we went--it was a small, cozy crowd and we were in good company. You can imagine my surprise when Jason stood up and said, "Let's dance!" There was a younger couple there giving dance instruction. Our joke is that we DON'T dance because I try to lead, plus the 13-inch height difference is kind of funny!
Well, I'm glad we got out there. It was fun, and Jason was pretty happy when the instructor said, "Now, ladies, you only need to remember 2 words...
Just Follow!"
So, that's what I tried really hard to do. And as long as Jason was counting for me, "Slow, quick, quick" and I didn't try to talk, we did great, ha-ha!
I think the last time we danced was in college--it was fun to get out there and try again!
Love you, babe! I would follow you anywhere! XOXOXOXO
I'd rather stay inside, thank you very much!
It's REALLY windy here. I had to push Oscar out the door to go to the bathroom, and then I had to walk around with him til he went because he kept heading for the door--he did NOT want to be outside. This is NOT typical for him, poor puppy!
Rhiannon has stayed home from school today. She came down with a sudden fever over the weekend and is finally acting a little more like herself today, definitely happier now that the fever is gone, but she's got a hefty cough. I begged her to watch last night's two-hour Downton Abbey episode with me. She wasn't too excited about it but admitted it was pretty good after we'd watched it!
Rhiannon has stayed home from school today. She came down with a sudden fever over the weekend and is finally acting a little more like herself today, definitely happier now that the fever is gone, but she's got a hefty cough. I begged her to watch last night's two-hour Downton Abbey episode with me. She wasn't too excited about it but admitted it was pretty good after we'd watched it!
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Memories
I was sad to hear about Whitney Houston's death yesterday. I think she was one of the first artists that I really connected with as a tween--she had such an amazing voice!
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Newlywed game
Jason and I enjoyed a night out with friends on Friday. The game for the evening was the Newlywed Game. I was pumped because the last time Jason and I played that we SMOKED everyone else!
Well, last night everyone else SMOKED US. We lost big time!
It was a fun, fun game, though--my cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing so much!
In our defense, the questions were pretty hard. They went way beyond favorite color or food. But we came close on quite a few.
Jason had to answer things like "What's the last book your wife read?" Poor guy didn't stand much of a chance--I've got over 15 books on my night stand right now! Or "How much did you spend on the first date?" and "What's your wife's comfort food?"
Some of my questions were, "What's the oddest place you've ever kissed?" and "What's the strangest gift your husband has ever given you?"
We got that one right. Jason said "nothing." And I said, "None. He's always spot on!"
Love you, babe! We may be complete opposites "in everything" (Jason's question and answer, ha-ha!), but we do know how to have fun together!
Friday, February 10, 2012
Just make yourself comfortable
I Spy
We get occasional animal visitors on our property. I'm okay with the random dog who gets excited about the ponds--they never hurt the fish. The frogs or toads or whatever they may be are funny and keep to themselves. There's this one black cat that scares me EVERY SINGLE TIME it darts out in front of me. And then there are the birds.
Aren't they beautiful? See if you can find 2 rather large ones...
5 boys
A cute new family has moved to our neighborhood, and they'll be new members of our ward, too! They have 4 boys, age 7 and younger, with a 5th boy due in a month. I stopped by this morning to say hi and felt a little bad interrupting their unpacking, but they were super nice and glad for the chance to put their feet up.
5 boys. Wow, I wonder what THAT must be like?
Wait, I know what that's like. It's nothing but AWESOME!
Brant, Logan, Jordan, Derrick and Tom--thanks for being the best brothers a sister could wish for. Seriously. Now please don't hate me for airing the following family photos--I simply couldn't resist!
5 boys. Wow, I wonder what THAT must be like?
Wait, I know what that's like. It's nothing but AWESOME!
Brant, Logan, Jordan, Derrick and Tom--thanks for being the best brothers a sister could wish for. Seriously. Now please don't hate me for airing the following family photos--I simply couldn't resist!
At Grandpa and Grandma Beck's house in 1988.
I was 12, Brant was 11, Logan was 9, Jordan was 6, Derrick was 4, and Tommy was 2!
Disclaimer: Please do not submit this photo to Awkwardfamilyphotos.com. I think we look CUTE!
I think this was in San Antonio with Grandpa and Grandma Sheen--let me know if I've got this wrong. March 1988.
On the back of this picture Mom wrote, "Posing on moon?...at the Japanese Gardens."
September 1989
I think I have the world's prettiest mom, too--just sayin'!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Confession
Dear Family Member,
If you happen to get a hand-crafted birthday card from us this year, please know that I did not make it. I got on eBay and found a steal on bulk birthday cards. I took a long hard look at myself and realized that handmade cards are AWESOME but I don't like the ones I try to make myself!
It's the thought that counts, right? :)
Love,
Thankfully-I-have-other-talents Verity
A simple testimony
We've tried to remember a special family in our prayers since December. We don't know them well, but Wade and Rhiannon have been especially good about praying for them. So when more sad news came over the weekend, I felt like the kids should know. It was a good opportunity to discuss sensitive, difficult topics. Wade said, "It just seems like a lot of people have been dying lately, Mom." And my reply was that death is a part of life. We don't need to be worried about it, just do the best we can each day. I'm proud of our kids for their maturity and the way they handle things--they definitely get that from their dad!
The next day was Fast Sunday. Wade nudged me in the arm and leaned over and whispered, "You should get up there and bear your testimony, Mom. It's been a while since you did." I ignored him but when the loud beating of my heart wouldn't stop, I got up!
I don't remember too much about what I said, something about following the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, being thankful for my calling in the Primary, and knowing that life is hard but the Lord still wants us to be happy. I cried, so if anyone could understand me, I'd be surprised. It's okay--I definitely felt better getting up and trying to say something. Plus I've got to give Jason and the kids SOMETHING to embarrass me about, right?
Today I've gotten so many things accomplished. I asked myself how I could stay busy and productive and happy when so many people were suffering or sad, when so much evil happens. Was I oblivious, unfeeling, hypocritical, or insensitive? No. I grieve for others and pray for them constantly throughout my day. There is always a prayer in my heart. One thing I CAN do better is follow up on impressions or thoughts I get, especially if they involve helping or reaching out to another person. I got one of those impressions on Saturday when I was feeling sad for this family. Of all the million and one things that I could have received, the impression I got was to call my grandma! I dialed right away and was so grateful for my grandma's company over the phone. She was just what the doctor ordered.
My testimony, in its simplest form, is what keeps me going and helps me stand tall. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and that He is in charge. His love for me and the gift of His Son help me move past mistakes and look past the mistakes of others. In the end, if we've done our best, I just know that everything will work out!
The next day was Fast Sunday. Wade nudged me in the arm and leaned over and whispered, "You should get up there and bear your testimony, Mom. It's been a while since you did." I ignored him but when the loud beating of my heart wouldn't stop, I got up!
I don't remember too much about what I said, something about following the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, being thankful for my calling in the Primary, and knowing that life is hard but the Lord still wants us to be happy. I cried, so if anyone could understand me, I'd be surprised. It's okay--I definitely felt better getting up and trying to say something. Plus I've got to give Jason and the kids SOMETHING to embarrass me about, right?
Today I've gotten so many things accomplished. I asked myself how I could stay busy and productive and happy when so many people were suffering or sad, when so much evil happens. Was I oblivious, unfeeling, hypocritical, or insensitive? No. I grieve for others and pray for them constantly throughout my day. There is always a prayer in my heart. One thing I CAN do better is follow up on impressions or thoughts I get, especially if they involve helping or reaching out to another person. I got one of those impressions on Saturday when I was feeling sad for this family. Of all the million and one things that I could have received, the impression I got was to call my grandma! I dialed right away and was so grateful for my grandma's company over the phone. She was just what the doctor ordered.
My testimony, in its simplest form, is what keeps me going and helps me stand tall. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and that He is in charge. His love for me and the gift of His Son help me move past mistakes and look past the mistakes of others. In the end, if we've done our best, I just know that everything will work out!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Cleaning inspiration
The kids' chore magnets on the fridge are still working out, when we remember them. I needed a little inspiration for my own household chore schedule, though, and I came across The Clean Mama blog. There are some cool freebies, such as this cleaning chart, and good ideas for running a household. I KNOW that doing a load of laundry a day is THE way to go, but I'd forgotten what a genius idea that was.
A Sunday morning interview with Wade
Favorite color: "Blue, wait, no, yellow."
Favorite TV show: "White Collar and Beyblade: Metal Fusion."
Awards won at Blue & Gold: "Good manners belt loop."
Favorite food: "Grilled chicken."
Least favorite food: "Chili."
Who do you hope wins the Super Bowl game today: "Giants! And I'm going to wear my cool NFC championship shirt that Sandi got for me."
Who do you hang out with at school: "Elijah R."
What stories have you written lately: "Right now I've written a Beyblade book with 3 chapters and I'm working on a Transformers: Rise of the Decepticons book."
How did baseball evaluations go last week: "Good. Just good."
Favorite thing to do with Oscar: "Play tug of war."
What's something you're looking forward to: "Spring Break. Wait, no. Spring Break AND Mission Impossible 4 and The Muppets coming out on DVD."
How long have you been coughing: "I'd say at least 4 days." (Mucinex and a humidifier help.)
Anything else: "Nope!"
Favorite TV show: "White Collar and Beyblade: Metal Fusion."
Awards won at Blue & Gold: "Good manners belt loop."
Favorite food: "Grilled chicken."
Least favorite food: "Chili."
Who do you hope wins the Super Bowl game today: "Giants! And I'm going to wear my cool NFC championship shirt that Sandi got for me."
Who do you hang out with at school: "Elijah R."
What stories have you written lately: "Right now I've written a Beyblade book with 3 chapters and I'm working on a Transformers: Rise of the Decepticons book."
How did baseball evaluations go last week: "Good. Just good."
Favorite thing to do with Oscar: "Play tug of war."
What's something you're looking forward to: "Spring Break. Wait, no. Spring Break AND Mission Impossible 4 and The Muppets coming out on DVD."
How long have you been coughing: "I'd say at least 4 days." (Mucinex and a humidifier help.)
Anything else: "Nope!"
4 minutes faster
Yesterday we left the house before 5am and drove to Death Valley for Jason's 2nd 10K race. He shaved 4 minutes off his time from last year--
way to go, babe!
Rhiannon and Wade are in the foreground, waiting to greet Dad after the race!
I'm glad we brought the kids--we had a fun time together and it was a good thing for them to see their dad cross the finish line! Maybe next year we'll come over early and make a camping trip out of it, too. Death Valley is AMAZING this time of year--the weather was perfect.
It was nice to see that Oscar the puppy had survived our absence well. He didn't leave TOO big of a mess for us to clean up in his ex-pen and was sure happy to see us when we walked in the door! :)
Nothing too terribly involved or exciting going on this coming week. Ward council, home teaching, and Sharing Time lesson today. Maybe a little football watching tonight. (Go, Giants!) Jason will be gone 3 days to Baltimore. One more round of shots for Oscar at the vet. The usual piano/Cub Scouts/Activity Days on Thursday. The weekend should be fun for Jason and me--couples Game Night on Friday and a ward activity for adults on Saturday...the Sweetheart Dinner and Dance. Anytime in-between I hope to work on blog books! I finished one blog book for 2010 this week and have given myself a deadline to finish one for 2011 by February 26th so that I can take advantage of a discount thru Blurb. Otherwise, I'd be paying $75 plus for one book, and I really don't want to do that, no matter how awesome the book is! :)
Happy Birthday to Aunt Chris tomorrow, too--we love you!
way to go, babe!
Rhiannon and Wade are in the foreground, waiting to greet Dad after the race!
I'm glad we brought the kids--we had a fun time together and it was a good thing for them to see their dad cross the finish line! Maybe next year we'll come over early and make a camping trip out of it, too. Death Valley is AMAZING this time of year--the weather was perfect.
It was nice to see that Oscar the puppy had survived our absence well. He didn't leave TOO big of a mess for us to clean up in his ex-pen and was sure happy to see us when we walked in the door! :)
Nothing too terribly involved or exciting going on this coming week. Ward council, home teaching, and Sharing Time lesson today. Maybe a little football watching tonight. (Go, Giants!) Jason will be gone 3 days to Baltimore. One more round of shots for Oscar at the vet. The usual piano/Cub Scouts/Activity Days on Thursday. The weekend should be fun for Jason and me--couples Game Night on Friday and a ward activity for adults on Saturday...the Sweetheart Dinner and Dance. Anytime in-between I hope to work on blog books! I finished one blog book for 2010 this week and have given myself a deadline to finish one for 2011 by February 26th so that I can take advantage of a discount thru Blurb. Otherwise, I'd be paying $75 plus for one book, and I really don't want to do that, no matter how awesome the book is! :)
Happy Birthday to Aunt Chris tomorrow, too--we love you!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Contemplations, frustrations, and decorations
Contemplation...
This morning I checked our voice mail and learned that our next-door neighbor, Mrs. George, passed away yesterday. Her son Norman lives out of town but had gotten here 30 minutes before she died. With everything else going on for him, he thoughtfully called to let us know what had happened. We missed the call because we were at the Cub Scouts banquet. I called him and chatted for a few minutes--he's doing okay, just handling business, and knows it'll "hit him" later. His mom had not been well for a very long time, and the last several months she'd had 24-hr care in her home.
When we first moved in, Mrs. George sent us a letter in the mail asking us to come by so she could meet us. I thought it was interesting for her to do that since we lived right next to her, but we found out that she wasn't strong enough to walk and sat in a recliner most of each day. Even though her body held her back some, she was super smart and very fun to talk to. She loved to read and had a steady stream of friends over.
My favorite memory of her is when I asked her if we were "too loud" playing in the pool and wondered if we were bothering her. She said it was quite the opposite--the neighborhood had been quiet for so long and she loved hearing the sound of children again.
I wish we'd made a better effort to visit her more often, especially since she lived right next door. She was a sweet lady and very patient with us.
Frustration...
I volunteered to manage the decorating for the Blue & Gold banquet last night. It wasn't hard to do and I think it ended up looking pretty good. I got some blue and yellow tablecloths, ordered and picked up blue and yellow balloons, wrapped empty boxes for the "birthday" theme, and created weights for the balloons. My dear friend Melissa helped me lay things out in the cultural hall and it took us about 45 minutes. Other people were willing to help but had other obligations or small kids. It all worked out just fine.
LOTS of people helped with this event, making invitations, running out of town to Costco for supplies, cooking hot dogs, picking up other food, running the program, setting up and taking down all the chairs and tables, etc. It was definitely a team effort and I think it was a VERY successful activity! We had almost 150 people there!
But I'll admit that I learned a big lesson at the end of the evening. We were really lucky that a few families stuck around afterwards to help us, and even then the wonderful cub master and her two 12-year-old sons and I somehow managed to be the last ones in the building cleaning up the kitchen. Our chairman had kindly locked all the doors for us, but I still was officially the very last person in the building because I noticed some lights were left on and went back to turn them off.
I learned that I really don't like walking around the building by myself at night, in the dark. I know that's not following guidelines and it's not very smart. I could have gone home and had Jason come back with me, but I just wanted to be done with it all.
Note to self: Did I mention that I REALLY don't like walking around the church in the dark by myself?
2nd Note to self: next time, make sure there's an official clean-up crew in place, and make sure I'm not the last one leaving the building.
Decorations....
I was honestly still a little miffed this morning. But I got myself going and have been busy running errands, getting groceries, and helping Jason with yard work. I was tickled pink to find these "conversation heart" foam stickers and cute Valentine's vinyl clings. It's been fun putting them around the kitchen!
This morning I checked our voice mail and learned that our next-door neighbor, Mrs. George, passed away yesterday. Her son Norman lives out of town but had gotten here 30 minutes before she died. With everything else going on for him, he thoughtfully called to let us know what had happened. We missed the call because we were at the Cub Scouts banquet. I called him and chatted for a few minutes--he's doing okay, just handling business, and knows it'll "hit him" later. His mom had not been well for a very long time, and the last several months she'd had 24-hr care in her home.
When we first moved in, Mrs. George sent us a letter in the mail asking us to come by so she could meet us. I thought it was interesting for her to do that since we lived right next to her, but we found out that she wasn't strong enough to walk and sat in a recliner most of each day. Even though her body held her back some, she was super smart and very fun to talk to. She loved to read and had a steady stream of friends over.
My favorite memory of her is when I asked her if we were "too loud" playing in the pool and wondered if we were bothering her. She said it was quite the opposite--the neighborhood had been quiet for so long and she loved hearing the sound of children again.
I wish we'd made a better effort to visit her more often, especially since she lived right next door. She was a sweet lady and very patient with us.
Frustration...
I volunteered to manage the decorating for the Blue & Gold banquet last night. It wasn't hard to do and I think it ended up looking pretty good. I got some blue and yellow tablecloths, ordered and picked up blue and yellow balloons, wrapped empty boxes for the "birthday" theme, and created weights for the balloons. My dear friend Melissa helped me lay things out in the cultural hall and it took us about 45 minutes. Other people were willing to help but had other obligations or small kids. It all worked out just fine.
LOTS of people helped with this event, making invitations, running out of town to Costco for supplies, cooking hot dogs, picking up other food, running the program, setting up and taking down all the chairs and tables, etc. It was definitely a team effort and I think it was a VERY successful activity! We had almost 150 people there!
But I'll admit that I learned a big lesson at the end of the evening. We were really lucky that a few families stuck around afterwards to help us, and even then the wonderful cub master and her two 12-year-old sons and I somehow managed to be the last ones in the building cleaning up the kitchen. Our chairman had kindly locked all the doors for us, but I still was officially the very last person in the building because I noticed some lights were left on and went back to turn them off.
I learned that I really don't like walking around the building by myself at night, in the dark. I know that's not following guidelines and it's not very smart. I could have gone home and had Jason come back with me, but I just wanted to be done with it all.
Note to self: Did I mention that I REALLY don't like walking around the church in the dark by myself?
2nd Note to self: next time, make sure there's an official clean-up crew in place, and make sure I'm not the last one leaving the building.
Decorations....
I was honestly still a little miffed this morning. But I got myself going and have been busy running errands, getting groceries, and helping Jason with yard work. I was tickled pink to find these "conversation heart" foam stickers and cute Valentine's vinyl clings. It's been fun putting them around the kitchen!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The yellow and the mellow
I asked Wade what I should do for the first post of February 2012. He said, "Put 'the yellow and the mellow.' It shows a yellow Mustang on my new calendar for February. And below it says 'the yellow and the mellow.'"
Perfect!
I always thought "mellow" meant calm or "chill." Turns out I was wrong. From dictionary.com, mellow means:
1. soft, sweet, and full-flavored from ripeness, as fruit.
Today does seem like a gentle or softened kind of day. No Mutual, no piano, no Cub Scouts, no urgent errands, no sports, no meetings. I've washed the big kitchen windows and porch doors this morning and plan to do a bit of laundry/cleaning. Maybe I'll put my feet up and read some Anne of Green Gables--I went to a fun book club discussion last night and was reminded all over again of how much I LOVE that book.
It's a good day to review the past month and prepare for a new one. Hopefully I'll take advantage of the downtime and work on the blog book, too!
Perfect!
I always thought "mellow" meant calm or "chill." Turns out I was wrong. From dictionary.com, mellow means:
1. soft, sweet, and full-flavored from ripeness, as fruit.
2. well-matured, as wines.
4. made gentle and compassionate by age or maturity; softened.
5. friable or loamy, as soil.
Today does seem like a gentle or softened kind of day. No Mutual, no piano, no Cub Scouts, no urgent errands, no sports, no meetings. I've washed the big kitchen windows and porch doors this morning and plan to do a bit of laundry/cleaning. Maybe I'll put my feet up and read some Anne of Green Gables--I went to a fun book club discussion last night and was reminded all over again of how much I LOVE that book.
It's a good day to review the past month and prepare for a new one. Hopefully I'll take advantage of the downtime and work on the blog book, too!
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