It's A Dog's Life

Why doesn't Amazon sell free time?

2012-01-28T14:38:00.000-06:00

I haven't posted on my blog in awhile. I'm aware of this and I'm sorry if your lives have been duller because of it. I post all the time in my head, though. Finding the time to put it to digital paper is quite another thing.

This year, I made some serious resolutions. The amount of time (or lack thereof) in my day is always a problem for me. I feel rushed, I feel out of control, I feel like I can't do what I want to do. This year, my resolutions are all aimed at (partially) solving that problem.

No, Amazon doesn't sell more time.

But in the last three weeks, I've learned that finding a way to manage the time I have is almost just as good. After four years of being a stay-at-home mom, I finally found a daily schedule and routine that works for me. This is no small thing, I assure you. I also moved personal prayer and scripture study to the top of my list. I do it first thing in the morning and it's really become like coffee for me. {If I drank coffee, which I don't, but if I did that's what it would be like...} My years of experience have taught me that if I put my spirituality first, somehow things go smoother, I work faster and more cheerfully, and I have more time. Don't ask me how it works, it just does. And don't ask me why I threw that lesson out the window after I had kids, I just did.

Not a spiritual person? Well, I have to say you're probably missing out. But try meditating or big-time service work. Do it. And in a month, I'll tell you, "You're welcome."

So, what will I do with all my "extra" time in the year 2012? I won't waste anymore of it on The Office, that's for sure. So far, it's been spent sewing and crafting and spending time with the kids. The latter is most important and with this springtime January (last week hit the 70's, people!), kid time means time in the backyard and at the parks. And when the springtime showers come through, it means snuggling on my bed reading books, playing silly games and listening to music.

But most likely, I'll do what I've always wanted to do and spend it with my nose in a book. And yes, my friends, Amazon sells plenty of those.

Fall Fun

2011-10-28T15:39:00.001-05:00

Last week the kids and I visited my friend Jill & her kids (who are the same age as mine) in Mississippi. We went to a cute little place called Country Pumpkins and picked out all kinds of pumpkins, played on tractors, jumped on a trailer full of cotton, etc. The kids had so much fun and it was a great way to spend a beautiful fall day.

Waiting for fall

2011-08-16T10:21:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm done with summer. Finished with it. Unfortunately, where I live I've got about two months left of it.

*sigh*

For me, summer will officially end (high temperatures or not) after our annual post-Labor Day beach trip. It's the big, final hoorah before I can begin to put the hottest, most miserable five months ever behind me and look forward to an awesome mild-mannered fall and winter and spring. Which in the South kind of comes off as one big season with a few weeks of extreme low temperatures. Like a fwing or fallsperwin. And, of course, with the beginning of this fallsperwin is the beginning of college football. Namely Crimson Tide & Big Red football. (I look so good in those colors!)

People have their own rituals to gear up for the season. Sugar Daddy is watching reruns from last year's games (and still rewinding them to question a close call or point out a dirty cheater...just like he did the first time he watched them...), football posts are popping up all over the blogosphere and Facebook like late-summer freckles and I'm on the hunt for classy crimson/houndstooth/red/white hats, apparel and accessories and planning great Game Day parties.

The P-Man is even getting into the action (Liv is more of a basketball girl). Apparently, he has started his own ritual to prepare for football season which includes, I think, a request for some divine intervention.

My kids aren't exactly poster-children for Sunday meeting reverence so it's not unusual for Mom or Dad (usually Dad) to take them out for a stern "talking to." For Price, last Sunday was no exception. So while the boys were out, Olivia and I sat in our pew in front of the organ quietly looking at maps of the Holy Land I have conveniently included in my set of scriptures. We were simultaneously listening to someone speak on service when out of the corner of my eye I saw a young boy approaching the pew. At first, I thought someone had escaped from behind us and was making his way up to the stand. Then I turned to look at the boy head-on.

I saw in front of me two big, brown, bashful eyes and a head of dark blond hair peaking at me from over the top of a football.

PRICE!!

His red-headed guardian was nowhere to be seen. I've been told the look on my face was almost as funny as Price walking into the middle of sacrament meeting alone and with a football. I'm glad he found me without incident. It seems he came into the chapel in the back on the opposite side of our pew. Then he walked down the long isle, walked across the front and found us. He also happily climbed on my lap without incident. I half expected him to initiate a game of catch.

He sat by me for a good three to five minutes quietly holding his ball before Aubrey came sauntering in and sat down. It seems this spiritual little athlete escaped from the "watchful" eye of his Daddy while the "disciplinarian" was scrolling through Twitter catching up on ...football.

So my question is this: since Price brought the football into church does it somehow make it a lucky ball? Is it better than the others in the gym overflow because it attended a meeting? Should we somehow get the Crimson Tide to practice with it for luck? Or at least hold it during the games and play with it at halftime? Of course common sense tells me no. I doubt that any heavenly residents (The Bear excluded) care much about whether or not Alabama has a winning season.

But still...is that a chance we really want to take?

It's a difficult question. But while I sort it out I can rest easy knowing that my (almost) two-year-old now has the reputation of being the biggest, most endearing football fan in the neighborhood. Roll Tide!

Happy, happy birthday, Darlin'

2011-08-08T10:21:00.004-05:00

{Please excuse my background. It's a work in progress and I can only do a little at a time!}

Olivia turned four over the weekend like a magic. As usual, we had a pool party for her at our neighborhood pool. Why I love this arrangement:

1. I don't have to clean my house before or after the party.
2. I don't have to plan games or try to corral a bunch of energy in human form into some other kind of organized play.

This year, Olivia asked for a Strawberry Shortcake birthday party. I don't go all-out with my themes because I think it's a waste of my energy and resources. Why would I spend money on a whole bunch of character-specific decorations and disposable ware that I will never use again? (Though I do admire a good themed party that I don't have to coordinate). But, what I do go all-out on (or try to anyway) is the cake. Everything else is just a loose interpretation.

This year's cake and spread:

Orange Blossom decided to not cooperate between the house and the pool, but whatever. Heat makes everyone cranky. And it was so hot and humid, that within an hour of being set up outside my cake frosting (and fondant) started to melt. But that didn't change the taste one bit. Aubrey told me it's probably the best chocolate cake I've ever made. (Thank you so much, Pillsbury pudding-in-the-mix!)

The other food included Little Debbie strawberry shortcake rolls, strawberry stems (Twizzlers), strawberry puffs (strawberry marshmallows), garden sticks (pretzels), Starbursts and strawberry lemonade.

Needless to say, Olivia had a blast and so did her friends. I never heard so much laughing and splashing.

I'm so blessed to be Olivia's mom. There was a time when I thought that would be impossible (scientifically it probably shouldn't have happened). Both of my kids are truly miracles to me and that makes their birthdays super special. There are few days in the year when my heart is as bursting and overflowing with joy and thanksgiving as it is on their birthdays, when I remember what it was like to see a promise and a miracle come to pass.

Happy Birthday, my Liva-Love!

Tiny Dancer

2011-06-09T15:18:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the disaster of a day we all had April 27, Olivia's early May recital was moved to this coming Saturday. Today was her dress rehearsal and she was finally able to get out the costume that has hung hidden in my closet since Christmas. She is Belle this year in the princess-themed recital. Every Disney princess (except Rapunzel and Tiana) are represented, including Alice in Wonderland. It was fun to watch her dance on the "big stage" this morning!

The dress rehearsal is the only time parents are allowed to videotape and take pictures of their tiny dancers up on stage, so I took advantage. I even left Price with a friend so I could concentrate on taping. It looks bad anyway. But you can still see Olivia's cuteness! I'm so proud of her for doing so well in her dance class. She has loved every minute of it and looks forward to her class every week. Her teachers are unbelievable--even Price runs for a hug when we drop Olivia off. Good job, Livy! Next year will be even better!

Follow this link to see the video I posted on facebook. Blogger is not wanting to upload video right now. I'll keep trying to post it though.

https://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=2010410549584&comments

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

2011-05-17T08:04:00.001-05:00

As many of you are aware, I was able to write a story about the tornado for my little hometown paper. It's a small weekly paper published in a town where everyone knows everyone so I knew they'd be interested. I also knew it would give me a little more liberty with my writing than a larger paper, so I was able to write in first-person and avoid the typical cut and dry news story. My paper is so small, they have no website, so here is the article minus the pictures which were published with it (it would make this post too long). But I'm sure many of you are oh-so-familiar with the damage already.

*I should tell you here that the statistics quoted in this story have changed since it was published. The death toll is still around 40, but the number of missing has dropped well below 100. As of today, I don't know the exact count.

*********************************************************

Cheyenne (Kearl) Martin grew up in Milford, graduating in 1998. She moved to Tuscaloosa, Ala., shortly after to pursue a degree in journalism at the University of Alabama. She now lives in close-by Northport with her husband and two children. She and her family witnessed the destructive tornado on April 27, and though they were able to watch from a safe distance, she has many friends who were directly affected.

On April 27, my husband woke me up in the middle of a monstrous thunder storm (which produced, I would later learn, a small tornado) to tell me we had no power. I groaned and went back to sleep.

In our 20-year-old, 900-home subdivision in Northport, Ala., just across the river from Tuscaloosa, power outages are a frequent occurrence during ferocious Alabama spring and summer storms. So, I wasn’t alarmed—even with the day-long tornado watch—and even thought the public school systems almost overly cautious for canceling school that day. I carried on like normal and took my three-year-old daughter to her dance class.

But after seeing the darkening sky after class, I joined the public school system in using caution and canceled my two piano lessons for that afternoon. I didn’t want them to be caught in the rain. Of course, I didn’t know at that point they would have been caught in something much worse.

Just south across the river, near the University of Alabama, my friends Cody and Lindsay Blowers were much more in tune with the weather than I was. Being apartment dwellers, they decided early in the afternoon to head to Cody’s parents house in Brookwood, a town about 20 miles northeast of Tuscaloosa. His parents have an underground storm shelter, so they decided it was the safest place to be.

“[Cody] came home early and we grabbed a change of clothes from the apartment and a few other things and headed out to Brookwood,” Lindsay said. “We had seen the tornado in Cullman (Alabama) on television earlier that morning. We knew if one hit here it would be bad. Better safe than sorry.”

As the gray afternoon wore on, I realized how serious things were becoming. I called my husband to see if he would be able to come home from work early. He drove up seconds later. We put shoes on the kids and got our safe place ready. (A closet on the lower level of our multi-level home; we don’t have a basement.) We retreated to our lower-level family room and turned on the news.

Just after 5 p.m., we watched live on television as a mile-wide tornado started in the south of town and completely demolished everything in its path for the next six miles.

Lindsay said she listened to the reports of the tornado on the radio as she sat in the storm shelter with her husband and in-laws.

“I didn’t realize the magnitude,” she said. “And then of course afterwards we heard reports about Krispy Kreme and Full Moon [Barbecue] being gone. I couldn’t imagine that it would be as big as it was or stay on the ground for so long.”

Lindsay’s in-laws escaped the storm and managed to keep their power. We still had power also and, three miles from the tornado, our house was intact. But cell phone use was out of the question.

Again, we watched on television as local reporters took us for a guided tour of a popular and busy intersection. Trees: gone. Neighborhoods: gone. The place I cried over my husband-then-boyfriend while eating great gobs of chocolate custard: gone. The hospital, just two streets away, was still standing, as was my beloved University of Alabama, which begins its sprawl less than a mile west from the hospital.

I know in Nebraska it’s a common thing to be able to see for several miles. In Alabama, it’s nearly impossible to tell how big a town is for all the trees that divide homes, neighborhoods and businesses. We don’t even see our neighbor directly behind us. Today, I can stand at that once busy intersection and see everything. Only now that everything is nothing.

Afterwards, Lindsay immediately turned to Facebook and her cell phone to check up on friends and managed to find out the fate of one of our mutual friends.

Rachael James Mulder and her husband Dan were home in their apartment when the tornado hit. They made it through; their apartment did not. Cody and his father made their way to where the apartment once stood to pick them up. Lindsay would return the following day to help our friend salvage what she could.

It would be a few more days before I heard Rachael’s story. CNN actually interviewed her and the Associated Press snapped a picture of Rachael and her husband outside their demolished apartment.

Rachael, a nurse at Northport Medical Center, had just pulled an all-night shift Tuesday, the day before the tornado hit. She was home sleeping and wasn’t aware of anything out of the ordinary.

“I had heard a few things but I didn’t think much about it,” she said. “We always have severe weather warnings and nothing ever really happens.”

While she slept, Dan, a biology student at the University of Alabama, studied in their second story apartment. Rachael says the next thing she remembers is Dan running to her saying, “Rachael, get in the tub now!”

“He just seemed so scared and he was yelling,” she said. “He just had this fear and intensity.”

Dan shut the door and covered her in the tub with his body and within seconds the tornado hit.

“I was terrified,” she said. “It was so loud and there was so much wind. It just felt so close. In a storm you can hear everything, but you are still away from it and it doesn’t feel very close. This was like it was right there. It was terrifying.”

Thinking that was the worst of it, she and Dan were completely unprepared for what they found when they opened their bathroom door.

“Dan went out first and I think he said something like ‘Oh, my goodness,’” she said. “We walked out and we could see the sky. Our living room was destroyed. We had no roof and our walls were gone. There were big pieces of wood everywhere, rubble, other peoples’ stuff and that pink, fluffy insulation.”

In complete shock, the couple walked around a now unrecognizable apartment until Dan and a boy went to look for survivors.

“Dan was gone for a couple of minutes,” she said. “Then I heard him yell, ‘Rachael, hurry! Come down here! Someone’s dying! Someone’s dying!’”

Rachael retrieved her first aid kit from the closet and carefully picked her way through the only exit to their apartment: the kitchen window. She made her way down the concrete stairs and around the corner to find Dan with a 21-year-old woman who was severely injured.

Overwhelmed, in shock and frustrated by the lack of appropriate tools, Rachael did her best to help the woman.

“She was in horrible condition,” Rachael said. “She had a wound on her side, her organs were coming out, she was bleeding, she had cuts on her head. She was unresponsive but she was still breathing.”

Rachael tried to open the woman’s airway and she wrapped an ace bandage around the bleeding.

“She started choking on her fluids so I turned her on her side … she took her last breath and she died.”

Sadly, Rachael’s story is not unique in the aftermath of this storm.

The neighborhood of Alberta City, just to the east of Tuscaloosa, is devastated. Neighborhoods are gone, as if they never even existed. I know a couple who rent a house in Alberta City. She and her one-year-old granddaughter clung to each other on the floor of a closet while she listened to her house being dismantled. They survived. Seven people on her street did not.

According to local news reports at this time, the Tuscaloosa mayor’s office has confirmed that the tornado covered a total of 5.9 miles, cutting a swath anywhere from one to 1.5 miles wide. It damaged well over 5,000 structures, killed 40 people, left 2,580 people without power and left behind $75 to $100 million in destruction. More than 400 people are estimated to be missing, though it is hard to get an accurate count. In total, the mayor’s office estimates that it affected the lives of 20,000 people, whether directly or indirectly.

And like rubbing salt on a wound, the tornado even took the city’s Department of Environmental Services (they have since pieced together seven garbage trucks) and the county’s emergency management agency.

The National Weather Service categorized the tornado as an EF4, with winds being measured at 190 miles per hour; just 10 miles less than the required 200 miles per hour of an EF5. It has, without doubt, caused more death and destruction than any tornado in Alabama’s history.

And yet, in the midst of this devastation and destruction, there is a pervasive feeling of hope rather than despair. Shelters have popped up all over the city. A volunteer headquarters was immediately set up at a local church. In the spirit of true Southern hospitality, the residents of this city didn’t miss a beat in offering aid, services and comfort. Not one beat.

“So much has already been done,” Lindsay said. “I can’t even count the number of places that are now drop-off centers and donation centers. Things started happening immediately…I’m just trying to do what I can.”

Rachael, too, has a feeling of peace and quiet hope in spite of everything she has experienced.

“We truly feel so humbled and grateful,” she said. “We know that our Heavenly Father is there in our lives and we are unbelievably humbled by how incredibly kind, loving and giving everyone has been to us.”

There is a line in the Alabama fight song which any Southerner worth his salt will remember: “Fight on, fight on, fight on men!”

And after the events of last Wednesday, there is nothing left to do. But after seeing the unity, love and determination of the place I call my second hometown, I know we will know nothing but victory.

That's what she said and let's hear it for the boy

2011-03-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

I'm not very good at blogging anymore, for that I apologize. Every once in awhile I feel like I'm just fumbling around in the dark and this is one of those times. And as far as the recipe contest goes...I just have to post the results (and a few more recipes)! But I don't want to do that right now, so I will (again) save that for another day!

Time goes fast, that's for sure. Remember when you were a kid and summers seemed like a lifetime? When it felt like nothing else mattered than what was happening right then, because that was all that your life seemed made of? And then we grow up and realize that childhood isn't a lifetime, it's a blink. It's an odd thing to witness that in my own kids. What seems like an interminable amount of time to them is a mere drop in the bucket to me. I guess it's all about perspective.

So this is how my hilarious little girl and adorable baby boy are speeding through life.

That's what she said.

Every day I hear the same question at least a dozen times. And every day I give the same answer; again, at least a dozen times.
"Mom, am I four?"
"No, you're three almost four."
Which seems just as good as being four, I suppose. Because she gives me a knowing sidelong look and says in a singsong voice, "I'm almost four!"
She holds the four on a fermata. In falsetto.

****

About a year ago, Olivia started getting really upset about Aubrey going to work in the morning. He leaves before she gets up and I think she started to notice and realize something was amiss at the breakfast table. So we sat down and had a long conversation about what it meant to work. I explained that everyone in the family has a job to do and Olivia's job is to play, play, play and help and love her family. After a good question and answer period, she was satisfied and comforted. Also, I think, she felt empowered to have her own job.

But now when I ask her to do anything, she matter-of-factly replies, "I can't. I'm working here with my blocks and colors." I think it's time for a job change.

****

Several times a week after eating a good breakfast/lunch/supper/snack, Olivia (who is almost always dressed like Tarzan in nothing but panties) stretches and pokes her belly out.
"Look at me, Mama! I have a belly like Papa Kerry! That's so silly!"

****

One day I came in the family room to see her dancing around with her hand down the back of her panties.

"Olivia, what in the world are you doing?" I asked her, knowing perfectly well she would have a "logical" explanation.

"I have crumbs in my panties," she said, laughing. "Sometimes I have crumbs in my panties, sometimes I don't."

****

Overheard in the bathtub, where she is playing with her brother who is whining incessantly.

"I'm cooking," she says as she deftly gathers her toy kitchen utensils and fills bowls with water. "Don't worry, Price. I won't cook you, you're a good boy."

And to emphasize her point, she pats him on the head with a spatula.

Let's hear it for the boy.

Not to be outdone on the cuteness scale, Price has his own little personality. He has lately become super helpful around the house. Here are all the ways he helps me out.

*He stands on the open door of the dishwasher and hands me dishes from the top rack...whether clean or dirty.

*He gathers up all the dishes from around the house and puts them in the sink. I've also found cars, princesses, shoes and books in the sink.

*He rides the vacuum.

*He hands me his plate, fork/spoon and cup--in that order every time--when he's finished eating.

*He will walk himself to bed.

Price also calls us all "baby." Is there anything more adorable than a baby calling you baby? He runs laps around our main floor (we have an open floor plan) and only takes toys from his sister if she's looking. I guess it isn't any fun otherwise.

What did I do to deserve such great kids?

Even a mermaid can be saved

2011-02-07T23:03:00.000-06:00

Tonight during Family Home Evening, we talked about the Plan of Salvation. Meaning, in a nutshell: you live in heaven, you're born, you live on earth, you die, you live in the spirit world, you're resurrected, you're judged, you live in one of three kingdoms of glory. It's merely your basic Mormon theology. At any rate, I was explaining to Olivia that we want to live in the highest degree, or kingdom, of glory because that's where Heavenly Father and Jesus live. Her face became very animated during this part of the lesson and she grabbed my hand.

"Can I be Ariel in that kingdom and swim underwater?"

"Um, sure. You could probably do whatever you want to do in that kingdom."

"But my nose won't breathe underwater," she said, scrunching it up and pinching it.

"No, not now, but you might be able to use it underwater in your kingdom."

"Yeah! But how 'bout I just swim underwater on earf and not use it."

"Well, you can do that too if you want. Just remember that you want to live in the brightest kingdom with Heavenly Father."

"Yeah, and be Ariel if I want."

Now, I just need her to tack on, "and I know this church is true" and she'd fit right in with the rest of the crazies during testimony meeting. Good times.

Cumin Grilled Pork Chops

2011-01-23T18:29:00.002-06:00

Did you think I'd forgotten about my recipe contest! No! I have several I need to post, I just have to find time to post them. I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago and was nervous about how it would turn out. Why? Because I planned making it on a Friday and then realized we were actually going out to eat with friends that night. But the pork chops had already been thawed and in the fridge for two days and based on my calculations of purchase date and time passed I was afraid they would go bad if I didn't use them. So, I snitched a bite before feeding my kids and then I rewarmed them in the oven that weekend for supper. Both times they were excellent! I also apologize for not using an original picture; my phone camera is not working right, so this comes straight from the original cook.

Cumin Grilled Pork Chops

6 center-cut boneless pork chops

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. cumin

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Place the pork chops in a casserole dish lying flat; stick multiple times on all sides with a fork. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the pork chops. Marinate for 4-6 hours, turning once. Remove from the fridge the last hour before grilling them.

Grill on medium-low heat for five minutes on each side, or until cooked through. You can brush with left over marinade while grilling for added flavor, but discard marinade when finished.

It is really important that you marinade these for the right amount of time. The first time I made them, their marinading was cut short and the flavor really suffered. The second time, I marinaded them overnight because I knew the next day would be really busy. Wow. Big difference. If you're worried about spice from the cumin, don't be. It's more smokey tasting anyway and in this recipe it just kind of hangs out in the background. But, by all means, add more of it if you want a bigger kick.

These pork chops are really flavorful and moist--even when you make them two days before you actually eat them and then warm them up in the oven! Also, they are incredible fast and easy. If you remember to marinade them early, cooking and serving them is a no-brainer. The recipe is simple, too, and uses stuff you probably already have. Even though it calls for boneless center-cut, any pork chop would work here and be great. Also, Mother Nature forced me to grill indoors and still I had no problem serving up a great meal. I served my pork chops with rice and glazed mixed vegetables. It came together perfectly.

RATINGS (out of 5 Yummies):

TASTE: 4.5

so good and juicy, but for my family I think it needs a little more cumin

PRESENTATION: 5

did you look at the picture? 'cause that's exactly what it looks like

EASE OF PREPARATION: 5

making the marinade couldn't be easier, then all that's left is to let it do the work for you--as long as you remember to marinade the pork chops early, this is a great busy-night dinner

OLIVIA FACTOR: 3

she ate one little piece and was done, but I know she likes pork chops so I know we can make this recipe work for her

COMPOSITE: 4.4

the grown-ups love this one, Olivia not so much--she is really bringing y'all down!

And now for something mushy...

2010-12-14T11:00:00.001-06:00

I would like to interrupt this cooking contest I have going on to insert some actual real-life events. Today Aubrey and I celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary. He treated me early yesterday by doing several loads of laundry and two loads of dishes...it was one of those days. In fact, it's probably the way he does those things that is one of the best and most difficult things for me to understand in my marriage.

I'm a talker; Aubrey is not. (Is this really a revelation to anyone?) And while he tells me he loves me rather generously, that's about where the flowery speeches end. If you can call "I love you" flowery. Hallmark cards really speak best for him. So what does he do? Only everything for me. And what do I do? I immediately think he's doing it because I don't do it well enough for his standards. After eight years, it's still my first thought. And, after eight years, the thought that comes immediately after is that my standards are his standards because I'm his gold standard. And I don't need him to say any words to know that.

I love my husband who gives me all he can. He's patient and kind with me and in all our years of marriage the only time he has ever raised his voice to me is if I'm in the other room. He's a wonderful father and is never too busy to play with his children. They come running from all corners of the house the minute they hear that front door open. He's my umbrella, my leaning post, my anchor, my flashlight and, occasionally, my maid. Happy Anniversary!

Fall 2002

December 14, 2002

Christmas 2004

August 2006

September 2007

October 8, 2009

Spring 2010

August 2010

November 2010

Ritzy Chicken

2010-12-14T09:32:00.000-06:00

I made this Friday but I took the picture with Aubrey's cell phone so it took a few days for me to extract it and post it--hence the delay. This recipe is really similar to the Ranch Chicken recipe (see previous post). There are a few ingredient changes, however. It's good to have a couple of these combinations on hand, I think, to fit whatever you have hanging out in your pantry. I have made a version of this several times before, except I coat the chicken in mayonnaise and then spices, crackers and cheese. But this chicken comes out just as tender and really juicy. Another good staple to add to the Busy Night Menus list!

Ritzy Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts, halved
20 crushed Ritz crackers

1 Tbsp. dried parsley

1/8 tsp. pepper
1 stick of butter, melted
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (like for spaghetti)
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Pour enough melted butter into a 9x13 pan to coat the bottom; the rest will be used to coat your chicken.
In another bowl, combine all other ingredients. Roll the chicken in the butter, then the dry ingredients. Place in the baking dish and sprinkle any remaining crumbs and butter on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until done. Serve with Lipton's Creamy Chicken Rice and green beans, or your family's favorite vegetable.

It's really too bad I don't have a Price Factor for this little contest; he eats everything you give him. But this chicken came out so good and juicy that I couldn't cut pieces up fast enough for him to shovel into his tiny little maw of a mouth. Olivia ate most of her portion as well, though I confess it wasn't with as much gusto. I didn't halve my chicken as the recipe instructs (and as I normally do) because I couldn't find my cuttingboard and I was in a big hurry to get it in the oven. I baked two chicken breasts at 350 and it only needed somewhere between 5 and 10 minutes more to finish baking.

I also like this recipe because it introduced me to easy-to-make sides. I don't use help very often so it was good to be "forced"! The rice (Lipton rice is now found under the "Knorr" label) was super easy to make and came out perfect. My family also really like it. Perhaps I will start using something like that on my busy nights.

RATINGS (out of 5 Yummies):

TASTE: 4.5

chicken was great and the rice was good and flavor was what I expected it to be

PRESENTATION: 4

it looks completely appetizing, unfortunately the type of recipe it is means it's not completely wowing--but when you're family's eating at 100 mph, nobody's stopping to look at your plating

EASE OF PREPARATION: 5

easy, easy , easy

OLIVIA FACTOR: 4.5

she ate all of the chicken and most of her rice; in fact, the inclusion of the rice in the recipe bumped it up over Ranch Chicken as Olivia's favorite

COMPOSITE: 4.5

all-around good meal

Ranch Chicken and Mashed Potatoes

2010-12-09T11:02:00.002-06:00

If you're looking to add a little variety to what seems to be a consistent family favorite across the board, you should try this recipe. If you are trying to appease a picky eater, you should try this recipe. If you have a busy holiday night ahead of you, you should try this recipe. In short, just try this recipe.

If you couldn't tell from the scoring of these recipes on the Olivia Factor, I house a picky eater. It gets a little tiresome considering she shares the table with three non-picky eaters, but such are the facts. I have made baked chicken so many ways I could probably devote an entire blog to them, but I have never actually tried this specific combination. And what's even better is that it comes with a matching side dish, which is a big deal to me. Aubrey always makes fun of me for trying to "match" my foods.

Ranch Chicken & Mashed Potatoes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I use two and cut them in half, like when you butterfly meat; the portion is better for my family---hence the fish-looking fillet in my picture)
1 pkg. ranch dressing mix
1 c. crushed cornflakes
1 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 stick butter, melted
1 recipe of mashed potatoes

Melt butter in a shallow dish. Mix half a packet of ranch dressing mix, cornflakes and parmesan cheese together in a second shallow dish. Dip chicken in butter and cornflake mixture. Place in a greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until done. Make your recipe of mashed potatoes and add the second half of the ranch packet.

I made this on the busiest night of the week for us: Wednesday. It took me literally less than 10 minutes to get it in the oven which gave me plenty of time to get the other dishes ready and get myself ready for youth. I even made and frosted cupcakes while I waited for everything to finish. But the biggest plus: I was able to enjoy my meal with my family without rushing through it, which was wonderful! It's such an easy recipe to follow; I made it once and it's already committed to memory. It's definitely going in my recipe box under Chicken: Variations of a Theme.

RATINGS (out of 5 Yummies):

TASTE: 4

although an ordinary recipe, the simplicity of this meal is appealing and this recipe means the chicken will come out perfectly tender and crunchy every time

PRESENTATION: 4

it looks like fried chicken to me, which is a mouth-watering vision in any form but it's wholesome simplicity keeps it from wowing

EASE OF PREPARATION: 5

there is no question about the ease of this recipe; the Debra Barones of the world will have no problem pleasing their families with this meal

OLIVIA FACTOR: 4

she ate all of the chicken, but didn't ask for more (although that could be the Christmas cookie before supper talking) and gagged on the mashed potatoes, which really is a testament to their texture more than anything; she's appalled that potatoes come in any other form than fried and frenched

COMPOSITE: 4.3

I think this is a staple and the one to beat for Olivia's affections

Meatball Subs

2010-12-03T07:28:00.001-06:00

All I have to say about this recipe is mmm...mmm...mmm. I wish all my leftovers tasted like this.

Meatball Subs

Frozen meatballs

1-2 cans of Del Monte Four Cheese Sauce

Rolls enough for your family

Make or buy your favorite rolls (recipe follows). Pour a bag of frozen meatballs (an appropriate amount for your family) into a crockpot and cover with sauce, two cans for one full bag. Simmer for at least three hours, stirring occasionally.

Slice rolls in half or pull some out of a bag. Cover with meatballs, sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and serve.

Homemade Rolls

1 Tbsp. yeast

1 c. water
1/2 stick butter or margarine
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sugar
3-1/2 c. flour
(works for dough cycle on bread machine or stand mixer)

For Kitchen Aid (or similar stand mixer): Combine yeast, one cup of (warm) water and one cup of flour in mixer bowl. Stir with paddle for 20 seconds. Let rise 10-15 minutes. Turn on the mixer and add remaining ingredients, flour last. Switch out the paddle for the hook and let the mixer need the dough for 5 minutes. Add more flour if the dough isn't coming off the sides of the bowl and forming a ball. Divide dough into 8-10 sections. Form rolls, let rise for 15-20 minutes, bake for 20 minutes at 350. Rolls look especially attractive when formed into knots and brushed with an egg wash before baking.

For bread machine, add ingredients liquid first, then dry, according to your machine's instructions. Follow instructions for dough cycle.

Holy cow! These are so great. Aubrey immediately wanted seconds but unfortunately ran out of time before he had to skip off to a meeting. This was such a good way to reinvent the Meatballs from our Monday night supper; my family has never eaten leftovers with such zeal before. I made the homemade rolls and they couldn't be easier to do. From start to finish they took me about an hour. (I think even novice bakers could pull them off!) Plus, they don't make more than my family can eat in a few days; they only make 8 to 10 rolls. Just like the Meatball Sauce, this roll recipe is going in my book for other weeknight meals.

RATINGS (out of 5 Yummies):

TASTE: 4.5

this recipe has found a place in my cookbook

PRESENTATION: 4.5

when served with warm, golden brown homemade rolls they couldn't look more appetizing

EASE OF PREPARATION: 5

another make it and forget it recipe, even when you're making the rolls from scratch--use store-bought rolls and frozen meatballs and it's a quick supper

OLIVIA FACTOR: 3.5

she wouldn't eat the meatballs, just part of her roll with strawberry jam

COMPOSITE: 4.4

Olivia seems to be a really tough judge!

Meatballs

2010-12-02T10:36:00.001-06:00

Sorry it's taken me so long to get this next recipe up. I have not forgotten about this little contest, Thanksgiving just happened, that's all! We had this Monday night, but every time I sat down to type it up the kids tried to burn the house down (metaphorically speaking...my lungs are still smoke-free.) Also, in case you didn't notice, I have my scoring system posted in my right-hand sidebar.

This recipe claimed to be a family favorite. All I can say is that if you like meatloaf and meatballs you will like this recipe. And if you don't like meatloaf and meatballs you will probably still like this recipe. My husband's not a big fan of either (I am) but he said this could go into the rotation. The homemade sauce is so wonderful and it gave me a chance to try something new: liquid smoke. Serve it with mashed potatoes and green beans, the way I did, and you have an easy and classic home cooked meal.

Meatballs
3 lbs hamburger
2 c. quick oats
1 (13oz) can evaporated milk (I had a 12 oz. can & it worked fine)
chopped onion (or onion flakes)
2 eggs, beaten
2 tsp. chili powder (optional) (I used it and it wasn't spicy)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and make into handful-sized balls. You should get somewhere in the neighborhood of 20, give or take a few depending on the size of your hand. Place in a greased 13x9 casserole dish. (I had to use two dishes).

Sauce
2 c. ketchup
1-1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. liquid smoke (found by bbq sauce at store)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together well and pour over uncooked meatballs. Bake at 350 for 1 hour covered with foil. Take foil off to see if done and if not bake for 10 more minutes.

I did not use chopped onion in my meatballs and I was really worried that they would be dry. I couldn't have been more wrong. That evaporated milk keeps them moist and slightly sweet. The sauce is delicious and is definitely going into my recipe box for everything from chicken to hamburgers.

Other reasons I loved these: they freeze super easy (which is good because this recipe makes so many) and the leftovers are super versatile. We're having some tonight in the form of Meatball Sandwiches, another contest recipe.

RATINGS (out of 5 Yummies):

TASTE: 4.5

a definite encore was requested and it's not even a typical favorite!

PRESENTATION: 4

this is what I call a hearty dish and I have no idea how to make it pretty, but it definitely looks appetizing!

EASE OF PREPARATION: 4.5

this is a make it and forget it recipe with minor assembly required

OLIVIA FACTOR: 3.5

she ate half of her little kid-sized portion and told me it was "sooo yummy"

COMPOSITE: 4.1

when you take out the Olivia Factor, this recipe is pretty close to perfect!

Honey Lime Enchiladas

2010-11-18T09:14:00.006-06:00

The note sent with this recipe promised me enchiladas like I've never had before. So true! This recipe is a really wonderful departure from your usual red sauce enchiladas or (worse) the ones made with cream of mushroom soup. These are sweet, not too spicy and much too good! And the smell when you open your oven...mmm...mmm...mmm. I woke up this morning with my mouth watering for leftovers. I make a complicated green enchilada from scratch, but I think this is almost just as good (for being in a class by itself) with half the work. So easy to make and so easy to eat!

Honey Lime Enchiladas
6 Tbsp. honey
5 Tbsp. lime juice (or 3-4 limes)
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (one rotisserie chicken)
8-10 tortillas
1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup whipping cream

Mix first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let marinate for at least 1/2 hour or more.

Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese.

Mix remaining enchilada sauce with the whipping cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 30 min. in a 350 degree oven.

The little comments in black are what I used for the recipe. This is a great way to use leftover chicken, but since I didn't have any I took a little help from my local deli. The rotisserie chicken made it a snap to make. I used two 10-oz. cans of green enchilada sauce which gave me enough of the final sauce to pass around the table with the enchiladas and keep for another day. (I'm thinking it will be a great addition to quesadillas or even chips. This sauce is sooooo good!) I served it with Spanish Rice, which nobody really ate. These enchiladas were definitely the star.

RATINGS (out of 5 Yummies):

TASTE: 4.5

a definite encore was requested with a slight recipe adjustment

PRESENTATION: 4.5

this is so appetizing on a plate, especially when topped with additional sauce; more color (like green chilies or something on top) would make it a 5

EASE OF PREPARATION: 4

roasting your own chicken will add to this and marinating means advance prep, though the recipe itself is EASY

OLIVIA FACTOR: 1

she didn't even try it, but take heart in knowing she doesn't eat "mixed together" foods

COMPOSITE: 3.5

nothing wrong with this recipe except Miss O!

I should note here that the Olivia Factor is replacing the cost factor. Like I'm really organized enough to keep track of that stuff. If Olivia doesn't eat the dish, you get a one. If she asks for more you get a five. It's admittedly pretty tough to get a five since the only thing she really asks for more of is deli ham. So don't feel bad.

Tomato Grits

2010-11-17T09:02:00.002-06:00

I didn't make it to the grocery store last night before supper, so new recipes will begin tonight (come back tomorrow for Honey Lime Enchiladas!) But I didn't want to leave anyone looking for a recipe today disappointed so I thought I'd post one of my own. I don't have a picture of it, just a picture representing how my family feels after we eat it.

I LOVE this recipe because you can make it for breakfast, brunch or dinner! For my Western family, this might be a good way to introduce your family to the wholesome, wonderful, marvelous Southern staple of grits. It took me FOUR YEARS to like grits but now I absolutely couldn't do without them. I got this recipe from a lady at church. I met her two years ago and she has become my guru of fine Southern cooking. She is so good at it!

How my kids look after eating grits in any form or fashion.

Tomato Grits
3 slices bacon, crisped & crumbled
2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. quick-cooking grits
1 can Ro-tel
1 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. sour cream

In a medium saucepan mix broth, bacon, Ro-tel and salt. Bring to boil. Add grits and stir well. Simmer on low, covered, 15-20 min. stirring as needed. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cheese until cheese is melted.

If you're a Southerner, you might be tempted to add more salt, since that doesn't look like a suitable amount. DON'T! The chicken broth, cheese and bacon have enough salt to compensate. If you're a Westerner, think of grits like cream of wheat: it has a tendency to clump. Stir the grits in slowly and use a whisk if it looks like it's clumping together. Keep the dish warm until you serve it; as grits cool they have a tendency to solidify. Also, if you Westerners care to try plain grits, salt the water more than what it says on the package. Also use liberal amounts of water...you want your grits creamy. Enjoy!

Let the judging begin

2010-11-16T11:03:00.001-06:00

Wow! I got a really great response to my call for recipes and have more than the 12 that I originally asked for. They all sound great and I'm excited to make them!! My goal is to make at least three new recipes a week (I have to leave a couple of days for leftovers!) I wanted to make them randomly, but so many of them have cross-over ingredients that it looks like I'll have to plan them carefully to make the most of my budget and the food. So, I'll post my meal plans with the recipes so you can see how to do it for your family, too.

Depending on when I can make it out to the store today depends on whether I start cooking tonight or tomorrow night. Check back tomorrow just in case I've posted a recipe. Thanks guys, my family is (OK, I am) really excited about this!

Calling all cooks!

2010-11-12T16:36:00.002-06:00

So, I don't know about your family, but every once in awhile I find that my family is in a rut when it comes to what we eat for supper. We are in such a rut as I type this and as you read this. I thought it would be kind of fun, then, to see what other people are making for supper. And it would be fun for you, the reader, if I turned it into some kind of contest. So, here's what we'll do.

1. Email me your favorite main dish recipe (if you're a facebook friend, send it in a message). I will take the first 12 that reach my inbox. (Include your kitchen colors at the bottom of the recipe!)

2. Each night I will make your recipe for my family, who will then critique it. (They are TOUGH!)

3. After cooking my way through all the recipes, I will award one fabulous homey chef with one fabulous prize and the bragging rites of having a recipe featured in the Martin Family Monthly Meal Plan.

My family and I will judge the recipes based on the following criteria: taste (of course!), presentation, ease of preparation and cost. As I make the recipes, I'll post them on my blog so you can spice things up at your house too. Start sending them in! I'll start on Monday!

cheymartin@bellsouth.net

Taking the road less traveled

2010-10-10T20:19:00.001-05:00

I like literature and I like poetry. One of my favorite poets is Robert Frost. A typical choice, maybe, but I feel it's a good one nonetheless. The last week or so, one of his more well-known poems has been trickling through my mind. He wrote it about a friend of his who chose to go fight a war. For me, it's about making the best of two good decisions.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

This poem has been on my mind for one reason. I, too, know a friend who chose to fight a war and never made it back to try the first forested path. Last week, that friend lost his life in that war. Though I call him a friend, I confess that I didn't know him well. I met him through his brother who is a dear, old school chum of mine from the University. But I call him friend insomuch as I have a general affection for him and knowledge of him. When Mark walked in a room, you noticed. He screamed confidence, strength and humor whether he was speaking or not. And he had such happy, kind eyes. He was my friend insomuch that he died to protect my way of life and the ideals I hold so dear.

He was Senior Airman Mark Forester and he was a hero. He was a combat controller for the Air Force, which meant he was in the hot spots during offensive strikes. He communicated with the pilots about where to drop their fire power. All the pilots he worked with said he was the best. He had already won a Bronze Star before he was killed and he received more accolades, including the Purple Heart, after his death.

Mark chose to fight a war in what I heard described as the most violent place on earth...Afghanistan. And he chose to fight in one of the most violent places on the battlefield. He chose it because for him, it was the best way to protect his beliefs and ideals. He chose it so he could catch the bad guys.

During this last week, I have often found myself wondering why such good and honorable men--the best men--die in such circumstances. I come up every time with the answer that it is only the good, honorable and best men who will willingly place themselves in such danger. I can't imagine how big Mark's heart must have been to take such a dangerous risk for people he didn't know. I suppose it is nearly impossible to keep a man with such a heart in this world alone.

Mark chose to take the road not many choose to take in order to make our country, and other countries, safer. Like the intersection in Robert Frost's poem, many good paths are available for us to do the same. Maybe we choose a road that is safer with more travelers and we do our civic duties such as voting, serving on community and government boards or volunteering. Maybe we take the road with less travelers and choose to face violent oppression head-on so that others don't have to. I say both roads lead to patriotism and it's only important that you choose one. Which road will you take?

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and Mark-
Mark took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Sunshine on a cloudy day

2010-10-07T08:43:00.000-05:00

This is the fourth and final post before Price's big birthday post tomorrow. Price is a happy baby and it doesn't take much to tickle him or laugh him out of a bad mood. That tells me he prefers to be happy...and I prefer it too. I had pretty bad post-partum after he was born and his happy spirit helped me immensely to get through it. He is like sunshine to my soul.

At about 9 months he added hand-clapping to his displays of happiness. It means he's extra happy.

Even his non-smile is a smile.

Now he's walking, of course, but this is his "I'm so excited to see you!" expression.

Just plain cute!

Double it up

2010-10-06T12:37:00.000-05:00

So, I was having some MAJOR issues with Blogger yesterday and was unable to finish Price Post #2. I eventually got it all figured out, though, so here is Price Post #2 Take Two and Price Post #3 Take One.

Little Brother Pricey Poo, Take 2

Price is the world's foremost example of what a baby brother should be. I present the following photographs as proof. I'm so glad Price loves his sister the way that he does. Of the two of them, he is definitely the peacemaker. I hope it's a trait that only develops with time. Olivia loves you too, Pricey Poo!

At just one week old, he was born a good sport.

He shares his clothes.

He doesn't mind hand-me-downs from his big sister.

He enjoys family time.

He will recycle your old crayons.


He wants to be your best friend.

That Water Bug is HUGE! Take 1

One thing that I like about Price is that he is absolutely fearless. Whatever it is, he wants to do it. Climb in the oven with the cookies? He's all over it. Climb in the dishwasher after his sippy cup? Count him in. Have a tea party in the bathtub? Name the date. Walk to China on the ocean floor? All he needs is a swim diaper and, possibly, his mother.

I just love his can-do attitude and his spontaneous spirit. Like his mom, there is always something better to do than what he's doing now and he just can't wait to find out what it is. It's not ADD, it's curiosity.

Test post

2010-10-05T12:36:00.000-05:00

This is just a test to see if blogger FINALLY works for me. If it works, hallelujah. I just don't have time to post now 'cause it took so flippin' long to fix the problem. Grrrrrr......

Something to blog about!

2010-10-04T12:35:00.000-05:00

Price turns ONE on Friday! I can't believe my happy, snugly, wiggly baby boy is almost a year old. Time flies like nobody's business! This week, in celebration of this amazing milestone, and to help me get back into blogging, I will post something everyday about this incredible little human being.

August 2010 at the University of Alabama

Price likes to walk. He's a walker. But even before he mastered putting one foot in front of the other, he was a mover. He made my last trimester nearly impossible. He rolled over when he was 2 months old and from that point on used any means of rolling, wiggling, sliding and slinking to get from Point A to Point B; Point B usually being wherever his much-adored big sister was. And then he woke up crawling. And then he woke up walking.

A boy who hates to be still can be a challenge for a mother who does. He may wear me out, he may exasperate me to no end and he may have kicked the living daylights out of my many abdominal surgical wounds but I love him anyway! How can you not?

He's rolled off the couch and the chair. He's literally walked off the couch and the ottoman. He's fallen down the hardwood stairs. And still he goes back for more. I hope that this is a peak into a permanently indomitable personality. As he grows up, I hope he is still a mover and shaker, seeing mountains and the occasional stumble as little more than couches and stairs. You can do it, Price!

Buck up, Nancy.

2010-08-26T11:38:00.000-05:00

Today's a tough day. It's just tough. For no other reason than the fact that I just plain woke up. Nothing is going wrong, the kids are being very well behaved, I don't have any "outside the house" projects that need doing---it's just one of those days. I have them every once in awhile and I hate them. I don't feel like myself at all so this is an attempt to force myself to be myself. If you can wrap yourself around that one.

We just returned from a week-long trip to the beach with my family. It was pretty good. The weather was great and I got some great pictures. I will post them here eventually, but you can see a whole album of them on facebook. Now we're counting down the days until our final beach trip in September with Aubrey's family. Do you think this family loves the beach?

I got some killer deals at the outlets thanks to 60% off sales and coupons. I got some awesome dresses that my wardrobe so sorely needs. Three years of pregnancy and breast feeding means too many skirts and unflattering blouses. I've also lost weight so I need to to get a couple of new sizes...I am (drumroll please) a size 8 dress and a size 10 pants. I've still got some weight to lose, but we're getting there. Rubbing that in y'all's faces just helped make my day brighter!

I also wanted to share some self-portraits with you. I took pictures of some of my signature faces. As you read my blogs, you can imagine which face I'm pulling as I'm typing. Also, they don't make me look fat.

This is how I look when I thow my babies up in the air and talk nonsense. If you are 36 inches tall or shorter, this is how I look to you most of the time. Those are not crow's feet, by the way, they are laugh lines. I laugh. A lot. It's why I'll live forever.

I'm usually giving this look to Aubrey when he asks me to help him do something that will require me getting dirty or eating seafood.

This is me doing a math problem or trying to figure out why what I just said didn't make any sense. When I pull this face, you can bet whatever just happened is going into my Blonde Moments jar.

This is my whatever/mischief/I-don't-know-but-really-I-do look. It's my favorite look because with the slightest adjustment, it also becomes my you're-an-idiot look. If you are one of my peers, you see this several times on a daily basis. My mom has a 10-year-younger 8x10 of this look on her dining room wall, so apparently it's her favorite look too.

I know this was just a lot of utter nonsense, but I feel fortified for the rest of the day. Or at least until nap time.

G.B., I hardly knew thee: A farewell letter

2010-07-29T07:48:00.004-05:00

Dear Gallbladder,

Tomorrow you and I will part ways for the remainder of my soujurn in this life. What will become of either one of us, I know not. I am afraid that for you, however, options are somewhat limited.

You have been a part of me for 30 years, though I was mostly unaware of you. There was a brief time during sixth period my senior year of high school that I felt close to you, but I admit it was only because I was tested on your placement and function. And because I removed a close relative of yours from my cat, Riggor. In fact, I feel I owe you an apology for overlooking you and downplaying your important role in my digestive health. Recently, you have brought such ignorance to attention.

Was it the pregnancies? Was it my horrible lack of nearly every hormone? Was it because I ignored you? Was it our 30th birthday? Whatever the reason, you seem to have reached a point where you can no longer keep up with my daily needs. You have grown weary and sluggish. I hate to say it, but you have literally grown to be a pain in my side. More specifically, under my ribcage. You're my first organ to fail me and while I'm sad for you, I'm mostly sad for me. This means only one thing: I am continuing to get older and so are my vitals. I can only hope my other organs have twice the stamina you seem to have.

I am known in the medical circle, espcially among nurses and lab techs, for having a beautiful anatomy. I believe that this is because most of my fat is in my hips and thighs leaving my abdomen beautiful and clear. Nevertheless, you should know that you deserve part of that credit. With you gone, I will be less beautiful on the inside. So I thank you for your many years of service. And I thank you for trying to work through the problems you are having now, even if it has caused me a great deal of pain and discomfort. I bid thee farewell and wish you luck. Find comfort in knowing that we will meet again one day in the distant future, when you are actually working.

And now, one last request. Is it possible for you to weigh in the neighborhood of five pounds? I've hit a bit of a plateau and it would really help me out. Best of luck to you. It sounds odd since I never remembered you while you were with me, but after you're gone, I will never forget you.

Yours truly,

C. M.

A Random Picture Update

2010-07-23T10:08:00.003-05:00

Olivia (right) and her cousin John at the beach in June.

Grandma Charmaine with grandkids Elsie and Price at my Grandma's funeral in May. Elsie is just three months older than P-Man.

My cousin Tiffany and me at my Grandma's funeral in May. It was fun to watch our kids and remember when we were that age.

Price and Tiffany's baby Charlotte, who's just a couple of weeks younger than Price. As you can see, it didn't take him long to become the typical boy cousin who won't leave you alone. Tiff and I had plenty of those growing up! (And we still do...)

A typical day of play for Olivia. I really hope that she learns to love clothes before she's a teenager.

What? I have a blog?

2010-06-29T20:32:00.004-05:00

I realize that I've been absent from my blog for quite awhile. I can't help it. Kids keep you busy. And time goes by so quickly, that I really prefer to play with them now while they are so young. All my days are not roses, however. Here is just one of many examples of life with Olivia. It happened just tonight.

"Olivia," I say as the little hand reaches the eight, "it's time for bed now, babe. Let's pick up your toys."

"OK, Mama," she says lightly and heads for the nearest pile of blocks. About half way through shoveling them back in the block bucket, she says, "That's enough, Mama. Stop. I need to play."

"No, it's time to pick up your toys. Go find your pink basket and put away your tea set," I say firmly--very firmly.

She shakes her head defiantly. She has a way of setting her jaw when she's about to make a stand. I can almost see her heels anchor into the carpet.

"Olivia," I say sharply, "put...them...away...NOW. Or I will throw them away."

I wag my finger at her and set my jaw. Something tells me we look a lot alike about now. Again, she shakes her head emphatically. OK, the tea set goes into a trash bag. She doesn't flinch.

"Olivia, put all your Cinderella toys into the pink bag."

"No."

"OK, then they're going into the trash also."

Her precious Cinderella toys go into the sheer pink bag they call home and into the garbage bag with the tea set. Tarzan Toy and Tarzan Paper (a beloved laminated DVD cover and best friend) soon follow suit. By the time we make it to her baby dolls, she is helping me--cheerfully helping me---scoop them up into the garbage bag.

"Olivia, if I take these toys to the garbage, the garbage man will pick them up and take them away. You won't see them anymore. Do you understand?"

"Yeah, OK, Mama. I'll get new toys at the store."

"No. No new toys. This is it. Your toys are going to the garbage."

I see her lip quiver and her blue eyes water over. She sets her jaw and pulls her lips tight. "OK."

"Do you want them back? If you want them back, put them away."

I set the garbage bag on the floor in front of her. She looks in and shakes her head.

"Don't want to," she says softly.

I pick up the bag and take it outside, the whole time she's cheering me on. I don't think she really thought I'd do it because when I get back inside she bursts into tears and points outside. I tell her that she can have her toys back if she wants them, all she has to do is put them away.

"Noooooo," she cries. "I don't waaaaant toooooo. I'll play with Price's toys now."

I shrug my shoulders and go to shut the front door.

"Stop, Mama! Don't get them! Don't get my toys!"

By this time, she has stopped crying, but I can tell she is just putting on a brave face. No matter how much it hurts her, she is not going to put those toys--her favorite, most played with toys--away.

"Come on," I say softly taking her hand. "Let's go put the rest of the toys away."

"Yeah, Mama! Let's put them away."

Cheerfully she puts the final toys in their respective bins. She picks EVERYTHING up off the floor. She hands me one of her stools and picks up her ladybug blanket and we head upstairs for bed. Not once does she mention any of her toys in the garbage bag. And she sleeps with most or all of them every night.

Without any argument, she climbs into bed. She gives me a smile and tells me she loves me. And before I walk out of the room, she hands me part of the tea set that started it all.

"Mama! Look! It's my tea set. Put it in the garbage."

So, that's what life is like with Olivia in a nut shell. Now before you all call me a bad mother, you should know that I put all her toys in a separate garbage bag and took them outside and put them in Aubrey's truck. I'm not so mean that I would take her favorites away from her forever, besides those toys were a pretty heafty investment for us.

If Aubrey says something like, "That's Daddy's carrot. I'm gonna eat it!" She eats her carrot before his hand reaches the plate. If I say that, she gives me the plate. We're so alike. It's no surprise that we are both her Daddy's girl. Seems he's the only one who can handle us.

The Final Goodbye

2010-05-24T15:56:00.002-05:00

My Grandma passed away this morning, so I guess that makes it official. I'm grateful that she's my grandma and that I was able to know her for so long. Sometimes in big families (there are more than 300 in mine) the younger grandkids and following generations don't get to know their grandparents. Everyone but the smallest of great-great grandkids has known her. I love her and I miss her already, but I know that she's more capable of being with me now than she ever was before. How grateful I am to be a part of this amazing family. Thank you, Grandma, for my heritage.

Finding Solace

2010-05-17T08:53:00.006-05:00

My grandmother is dying.

She is well into her 90's, so I suppose this is to be expected. I would be lying, though, if I said it wasn't a surprise to realize the end of her time on earth was so close. At just over five feet and maybe 100 pounds soaking wet, my grandma is larger than life. You kind of expect her to beat it.

Grandma's a scrapper and a fighter. Her relationship with her children and grandchildren can be complicated and sometimes even strained. But there is one thing that is ever-constant: We love her. We love her fiercly. We love her tenderly. She loves us the same way. We forgive her faults because we realize where they come from. (I overlook them because I have the same ones...funny how genetics work...) She had a difficult childhood and her adult life was faced with one tragedy after another. But through it all, she managed to do more good than one tiny little thing should be capable of doing.

Her name is well-known in the halls of the Utah state capital, even among national politicians. She is known as a fierce patriot and an even fiercer opponent. One word from her can stop a bill in its tracks or send it on through. It can even squash a politician. This is not an exaggeration. She has been honored again and again and again by universities, governments and organizations for her service in the community, in the government and to her family. We all look to her example for guidance, no matter what side of the political fence we land. She is our family's moral compass.

I talked to her yesterday; she isn't able to talk back and I think my mom held the phone for her. I can't be there with her now, but I keep her posted with letters and pictures. I also get e-mail updates from aunts and uncles who are caring for her around the clock. Sometimes they are hard to read. I hope that these letters and calls convey to her how much I love her.

I'm finding it difficult to mourn her impending transition, however. She will be with my grandpa, who is the love of her life; two of her sons, one was MIA in Vietnam, the other died of cancer in the early 80's; and her own father and mother, whom she loves dearly; and other family members and friends she has outlived. How can I begrudge her that happiness? I only grieve that my own children will not know her, though she won't likely be forgotten in this house: she and Olivia share the middle name, Tyyni. Neither one is spelled like that (Olivia's is Tynni and Grandma's is Teenie), but it is my great-grandmother's name. She was an immigrant from Finland.

My grandmother is dying, and we are all watching. But through this process, we are all finding our compassion, love, patience and even capacity for forgiveness amplified in ways that would not be possible otherwise. We are all finding solace.

Summer Yumminess

2010-05-12T10:34:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted in awhile, I know. But I'm completely braindead. I've had a "mom" post in the works for a week but I can't seem to get anything down on the perverbial paper. So, instead I will share with you two of my new favorite meals.

These are PERFECT for us for summer because it uses a lot of things that we grow right in our own backyard. During the summer and fall, I use homegrown ingredients to make light, fresh meals. It has to be my favorite eating season of the year. Even the "heavy" foods like beef, pork and chicken seem so much lighter when grilled next to fresh, sweet corn-on-the-cob. You guys have to try these out and then let me know if you like them. My family LOVES them. (Sorry, no pictures! They were gone that fast!)

This comes from a girl at Aubrey's office. Yummy! And only 5 Weight Watchers pts.

Tomato Zucchini Tart

1 deep dish pie crust

1 med. zucchini, thinly sliced

2 tsp. olive oil

3 tomatoes, sliced

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1/2 c. fresh basil chopped (use less of the dried basil)

1/3 c. Parmesan cheese

1/3 c. light mayonnaise

salt & pepper

Bake pie crust for 9 min. @ 450 degrees until golden brown. Turn oven down to 425 and let the crust cool while you assemble other ingredients. Saute zucchini in olive oil until tender and arrange in the bottom of the pie crust. Layer tomatoes over the zucchini. Combine the remaining ingredients and spread evenly on top of tomatoes. Bake 10-15 min. @ 425 degrees, or until heated thoroughly. Makes 6 servings.

This recipe comes from my mom, the size 4 queen of soups and salads! It is 3-4 Weight Watcher pts., depending on your use of nuts and pineapple.

Chicken Pasta Salad

8 oz. uncooked spiral-shaped whole wheat pasta

1 12.5 oz. can chicken (or 1-2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped)

1/4 c. diced red onion

1 c. fresh quartered strawberries

1/2 c. blueberries

1 c. fresh cubed pineapple

1 c. low-fat creamy poppy seed salad dressing

fresh spinach leaves

toasted pecans for garnish

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Rinse under cold water and drain well. Toss pasta with next six ingredients. Serve over a bed of spinach and garnish with nuts. Makes 6 servings.

*I should note here that my mom prefers small shell-shaped pasta and she uses finely chopped celery instead of pineapple. She also makes her own dressing from strawberry yogurt and mayonnaise and puts chopped almonds right into the salad instead of using pecans. I skipped the nuts and pineapple altogether and came up with 3 pts. per serving.

This recipe is straight from my own cookbook. It's ZERO pts. per serving. We haven't used jarred sauce in a year.

Spaghetti Sauce

5 tomatoes, chopped (peeling and seeding is optional--also, 2 cans of tomatoes is also good)

2 medium onions, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, chopped or pressed

fresh basil

salt & pepper to taste

1-2 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until tender. Add garlic half-way through the onion cooking time (it burns easy). Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Let simmer, covered, for 10 min. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes more. The sauce should thicken slightly. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste toward the end of cooking time.

Happy, healthy eating!

Deep Thoughts

2010-04-19T06:34:00.004-05:00

Lately, I've been thinking about the circle of life. The death of my sister-in-law's grandmother brought back memories of my own recent losses the past two years. I've lost close to 10 people. Some I had known my whole life, I met others in college and there was one little angel I didn't get the chance to meet at all. This thought process might sound morbid, but it left me with feelings of gratitude for my association with all these people and comfort in my knowledge of spiritual things. But I'm not the only deep-thinker in my house. Apparently, I've passed the gift to at least one of my progeny. Here's a peek at a conversation I had with my almost-three-year-old. This little exchange happened with Olivia Saturday night as I was singing her "the Cinderella song" while tucking her into bed. I didn't change any of her words, she's a pretty good little communicator.

Olivia: Mama, I need to get married.

Me: You do? Okay.

Olivia: But first I have to go to school. And tie my shoes all by myself.

Me: Yes, you do. That would be good to do first.

Olivia (very panicked now): But Mama! I can't tie my shoes all by myself! I can't do it! I can't!

Me: Oh, that's okay, baby. Mama can teach you. I'll teach you how to tie your shoes all by yourself.

Olivia (very relieved): Okay. I need to get married. I need to go to school and tie my shoes all by myself.

Me: Yes, you do. But let's go to bed first.

Olivia: Okay, Mama. Cinderella song again?

I love this because it so illustrates the mind of a toddler. Who else would place shoelaces, and marriage on the same plane of importance? I hope that my saying, "It's okay, baby," in combination with the Cinderella song will still be the remedy in the future as she battles the angst that so tightly surrounds these landmark events.

For Rachael and Jenny

2010-04-06T08:59:00.003-05:00

No insightful post today! It's all about pictures as requested. This post goes out to Rachael from the hood and Jenny Sue, cousin and chicken guru.

Olivia & her beloved Mrs. Carrot

Price & Olivia in their matching homemade Easter outfits

Ready for the store in Gramma's pretty blue Easter present

I think I'll let her potty train Price

Price checking out his bracket...he did better than Aubrey

I'll post more pictures this week. Oh, and for posterity's sake, Price is nearly six months in these pictures and Olivia is 2-1/2.

Mr. P Gets a Tooth

2010-03-29T14:38:00.003-05:00

Mr. P finally has a tooth. Daddy found it the other day after the little P-Man mistook his index finger for a bright orange monkey chew toy. This tooth has been a long time coming, so I was excited to see that it had finally made its apperance.

Mr. P is also sitting up for longer periods at a time and consuming more baby cereal by the day. So far, he's tried applesauce, which he likes to roll around in his mouth several times before swallowing; sweet potatoes, which he finds more useful as an exfoliant; and banans, which brings a mirror image of his mom's What the crap?! face.

All of these little things have added up to one big fact: my Little Man P is not going to be a Little Man much longer. He is growing up so fast it almost breaks my heart to watch. I'm excited to see him mature, of course, but I can't say that it comes without a little bit of wistfulness. I am comforted by one thing: Price is a MAMA'S BOY.

He loves to snuggle me and play with me. He loves to give me slobbery baby kisses and hold my hair like a security blanket. When I'm in the room, his eyes are on me; nothing else and nobody else exists. When I'm gone for long stretches at a time, he all but hyperventilates when he sees me again and I can't leave his side until he falls asleep. In short, I am his favorite lovey. And he's my favorite pint-sized snuggly.

Plus, this weekend Price said, "Not for awhile," to his baby food which brought a small bit of secret relief. He's still young and has plenty of time for things like spoons and bananas and sweet potato facials. If he decides he doesn't want to grow up so fast, I'm perfectly happy to oblige him.

What an expert...yeah...

2010-03-19T21:55:00.002-05:00

So, I'm developing a blog that will become a hodge podge of different things. (Don't want to give away more than that!) One of the topics is time management. I've been working on this blog for two weeks. Am I the only one who sees the irony?

It's like a foreign language

2010-03-15T10:35:00.003-05:00

If you have a two-year-old or if you've been around a two-year-old, then you know that sometimes you find yourself in need of a translator. Sometimes you have to be very creative to make the jump from what a little tyke wants to say and what is actually being said.

I think that Olivia is pretty well-versed for a two-year-old and an able communicator. She enunciates pretty well and usually speaks in full sentences. She is able to get in some good talking practice, as her mouth is running nearly 24-7. The talking in her sleep comes from Dad, the rest comes from me. Even so, sometimes I find myself struggling to make the leap from her thoughts to her follow-through. Here are some of my favorites:

Matchsticks = Gymnastics
Christmas = Santa Claus (not the holiday itself, which is mostly called "snow")
Bunny Easter = Easter Bunny
Prize = Surprise
Pahty = Party (very close to its cousin, "potty," it helps to know the context)
Blanklank = Blanket
Repicee = Recipe
Chocolate Cookie Chips = Chocolate Chips (or anything that looks even close...blueberries, raisins, etc.)

And my current favorite:
Mrs. Carrot = Mr. Garrett (a great guy and long-time friend of mine and Aubrey's)

She will make you laugh at every conversation, whether she wants to or not. It's all part of her charm!

Potty Training the Potty Mouth

2010-02-26T13:22:00.002-06:00

Olivia has been in panties for a month. My life is changed. Her life is changed. Forever. She can go to school, college and get married without wearing diapers. I can't, however, guarantee that she will die without diapers. I don't think she yet realizes the magnitude of this step. I recognized it right away when I stopped buying them and stopped changing them.

Unfortunately for us, we have to begin a new kind of potty training. I mean, of course, Olivia's out-of-the-blue potty mouth. I have generally well-behaved children. Olivia definitely has a mind of her own and a strong social personality, but she is rarely ill-behaved, rude and mean. I was therefore shocked at what came out of her mouth at Walmart today.

There we were, standing in front of the milk. I put a gallon of whole milk in the cart and turned around to get the 1% milk when I heard her say, "You a$$!" What? I asked her to say it again and again because I wasn't sure I heard her right the first time; she has a lisp and it's hard for me to understand her sometimes. Of course, it was one of those lose-lose situations. You can't say it back because what if she really didn't say that? Then you've taught her a naughty word. So you're left with the alternative: asking her to repeat the socially unacceptable phrase over and over and over and over again so you can be sure that's really what she said. Yes, it was really what she said.

Thankfully, she willingly obeyed when I told her not to say that anymore because it was naughty. I was just thinking how cleverly observant my child is (I say that because she picked up the phrase from one of Aubrey's TV shows that she wasn't even really paying attention to) and how obedient she is when, out of the blue, she says another phrase for all to hear.

This time, I was picking up shampoo just before heading to the check-out lane. It was as if she stood up in the cart with a megaphone: Attention Walmart shoppers: butthead. This one she thought was funny and I could not for the life of me get her to stop saying it. I immediately thought two things: the forbidden and disgusting TV show Beavis and Butthead and how I was going to kill Aubrey for watching his Men of a Certain Age show with Olivia in the room. Yes, I thought how I was going to kill him dead. Or at least give him an earful after supper.

"Olivia, that is really inappropriate." Butthead!

"Olivia, that is naughty. Don't say it." Butthead!

"OLIVIA! That is ugly and mean. We don't say that to people." Butthead!

Thank goodness every other woman in that isle was also a mother. They understood. They laughed at me. Even the conservative Mennonite woman behind us laughed. Finally, I just decided I had to ignore her, as my reaction was obviously fanning the flame. I listened to a chorus of buttheads all the way to the check-out line. By the time we got out to the car, however, she had quit. I suppose the word had lost its novelty.

Then at the red light: "Mama! Mama! Mooooom! Look at me! Butthead!"

Still Lost: 30 lb. Mirror

2010-02-17T14:22:00.002-06:00

So, I was going through some archival blog copy and found this little nugget from 2007. Unfortunately, the problem has not been resolved. The only progress I've made--three years later--is that I can now say with 98% confidence that the mirror is NOT in my house. But I know we moved in with it. How do you explain this? UFO? Pack rats of an unusually large size?

Oh, and I did have to take that shelf down because it looked absolutely ridiculous without that mirror. It has completely thrown off the layout of my Christmas decorations ever since. My life is unraveling without that mirror one tiny thread at a time.

*************************************************************************************

Mirror, mirror on the wall...where the heck are you? Last year, I hung a single shelf in my dining room thinking it would be a great knick-knack shelf and look even better with my huge, sentimentally meaningful mirror over it. Guess what? It's a year later and I can't find my mirror. The last time I saw it, it was propped up against the wall in the front hallway close to two years ago. Well, today I finally finished putting my Christmas decorations up (yes, the world's biggest Christmas nut was a little slow on the uptake this year) and am kicking myself for not being able to find that mirror. That shelf looks so stupid no matter how many lights I put on it. But the bigger grievance: How do you lose a 30-lb. mirror? My first theory was that it slipped unnoticed into the black hole that plagues my life, but more recently I've begun to suspect the person who means more to me than Jr. Bacon Cheeseburgers. It pains me to say it, but I think Aubrey is trying to cover up for something. I bet he broke it and threw it out and just doesn't want to tell me. I don't know why he's so afraid to 'fess up. This isn't the first thing he's broken. Please, I'm on my second set of drinking glasses since our wedding and will soon be on my second set of dishes. But I'm telling you that nothing has aggravated me more than that ridiculous (but much beloved) mirror. This has turned into more than a game of hide and go seek. This has become a family quest. I will not stop until it's found. The Mystery of the Really Heavy Mirror will haunt me until the day I die. Aubrey, do you even read this blog? WHERE IS MY MIRROR? AHHHH!!!!!!!!

Time in a Bottle

2010-02-15T08:30:00.006-06:00

Price is four months old now. On one hand, it's like, "Wow, he's only four months old!" But on the other, much larger hand, it's like, "Wow, he's already four months old!" Time goes by too fast and I already want another little baby. And considering just two short months ago I didn't want to ever get pregnant again, that says a lot to my current state of mind and the wonderful disposition of my babies.

Last Wednesday I went grocery shopping after supper. When I got home (well past Olivia's bedtime) she came downstairs as I started putting the groceries away.

"Watcha doin', Mama?" she asked.

"I'm putting groceries away, what are you doing? You should be in bed."

I turned around to shoo her out of the kitchen but stopped short when I saw that she was wearing her pink Dora baseball hat with the glitter on the bill. Who dresses her for bed, anyway? Oh, wait, she does. Her thin blonde hair was curled up over the edge of the cap and I could barely see her face it was pulled down so far. She is, in a word, adorable. So, I stopped what I was doing, gathered her up and carried her upstairs to her bedroom. She immediately responded with a super-sized smile and hug to match and said, "Mama's home now!" As if me being home made everything right in her little world.

I tucked her into bed and she patted the pillow next to her (she sleeps in a double bed). "Lay down, Mama," she commanded. This pillow is usually reserved for Daddy, so I obeyed and snuggled close. She smiled at me and snuggled in closer. She closed her eyes and sighed, "Mama's here. Mama's home now."

I watched her little face slowly relax, the smile never leaving. My mind flashed forward and I saw her first day of school, her first date, Prom, her wedding. Would we snuggle like this before her wedding? Something tells me no. I'm not ashamed to say that tears slid down my cheeks as we lay there in the glow of her princess crown nightlight. I decided that if I could save time in a bottle, this was one thing I would be sure to include. I would pull that moment out again and again and let those feelings of love, security and peace wash over me like a river.

I would keep other things in the bottle, too. Like when Price buries his head into my shoulder when I rock him to sleep. Or when he laughs as I pull his feet through his pajamas, pants and socks because it tickles him. And I could never forget the smile he gives me whenever he hears my voice or sees me walk in the room. He doesn't even give that smile to Daddy.

And then there are all the funny things Olivia tells me: Mama, I need to get married. Look, Mama, I boo-fill. Mama, I need to go dance; I'll be back in a minute. Mama, I need a bootie band-aid. And the funny things she does: calling random people on my cell phone and having REAL conversations with them; reading books to Price; twirling everytime she gets dressed; touching the end of the banister whenever she goes upstairs.

I think I would even keep the bad things, too, just to remind myself that they pass just as quickly as the good things. What's even more interesting is that the bad times make the good times so much sweeter. Like the nearly five years of agony I speant trying to get pregnant. It made the birth of Olivia and Price the biggest miracles I've ever experienced (not counting, of course, their Daddy).

Time goes by too fast and I'd like to keep all of it, but I can't. Time doesn't preserve well. Memories, however, have no expiration date. So I think I'll just tuck these precious moments so deep in my heart they never find their way out. And, in truth, it won't really matter whether I remember them clearly in the end anyway. They will have already become part of who I am.

If anyone understands, it's Cathy!

2010-01-17T16:20:00.002-06:00

Cathy is one of my very favorite comic strips. She totally gets it! But, hopefully, I will soon be able to leave both these problems behind. Two weeks ago I signed up for Weight Watchers (their online program) and have already lost four pounds. I'm very excited about this! Finally I'm eating the way I used to eat...the way you're supposed to eat. I have to say that at first I didn't know how I would fit with the Weight Watchers program, but I love it. I love it because it makes me think about what I'm eating before I eat it. If you do it right, you don't have to give up your favorites. I had a piece of chocolate cake every day last week. The key is not having chocolate cake for breakfast, then for a snack and then for dessert. MODERATION! At the beginning of this new little change, it soon became apparent that my biggest problem was eating whatever Olivia didn't eat. That meant two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners. Why am I not the size of the Goodyear blimp? I think stopping that alone allowed me to lose weight fast. I also ate because I was bored. Walk through the kitchen...eat...walk through the living room past the candy dish...eat...sit with Olivia while she eats a snack...eat. I don't even think I realized I was eating. But this year will be different. This year, I think that I will be able to say no to the donut (actually, I always have, donuts are disgusting) and yes to the yoga pants I haven't been able to wear in four years. And then I'll have some yummy fat-free double-churned chocolate ice cream to celebrate!

Three month checkpoint

2010-01-13T22:57:00.003-06:00

Price is a whopping three months old now! He's super, super cute! Price started rolling over about two weeks ago so we really have to watch him. He's trying so hard to sit up now and as long as he has the proper support, that's really what he prefers. Olivia is very sweet to him and now that he's more mobile on the floor, she has a good time playing with him. She gets down on his level and talks to him and shows him toys, etc. He just laughs at her. He's learned fast that that's about all you can do with a girl like Olivia. I'm so grateful for cute kids!

Out with the old, in with the new

2010-01-08T18:34:00.003-06:00

First, let me just say ROLL TIDE!!!

Since we have a new baby, this year is gauranteed to be full of brand new things. Even though we've already been through it with a baby, each one is different. Especially if it's a different gender. Price is such a ... well, he's such a boy. But he's way cute and way fun. He learned to roll over quickly, (at 2.5 months) but I hope that doesn't mean he does everything really quick. I don't think I'm quite ready to chase two mischievous kids around my house. Speaking of which...

I will be in better shape to do it because I have laid the hammer down on my fitness/eating. I refuse to be this much overweight. Not only do I not look like myself (at least, not to me), but I have so many other reasons to get serious. My family is plagued on both sides with about a million health complications. Exercise and good eating might not keep me from all of it, but I certainly don't want to go walking around with a big target on my back. Also, I want to have energy and play with my kids. It will make me happier and it will make them happier. Olivia is way too much fun to just observe and I'm sure Price will be the same way. All good reasons, huh? But seriously, I just want to look hot again.

So, since I've gotten all serious about this, I've lost 2 pounds in under a week. What?! You read it. Now I just gotta keep on keepin' on and I'll be dynamite for our beach trip in August. Wish me luck!

Eventually, I'll post some pics to help recap 2009. Maybe. But probably not. Happy New Year, y'all!

Joy to the World!

2009-12-16T15:14:00.003-06:00

I can't believe that Christmas is next week! Time really flies by. This year there has been more excitement in the Martin house as Olivia is more aware of what's going on. She's so excited that Santa is bringing her a Cirella (Cinderella) church castle for Christmas. It's actually been a good bribery tool to elicite good behavior. Sometimes.

I love this season and everything that it brings from divinity and fudge to "sparklies" on the tree and childlike wonder. But mostly I like it because it brings into focus, once again, the importance of remembering the Savior. What a wonderful gift to the world! I wish more people (including myself) would do a better job of recognizing that. He is what people call the Christmas spirit. I hope you and your families have a wonderful Christmas season filled with warm feelings and joyful thoughts. Merry Christmas!!

Let the sun shine in!

2009-12-07T20:16:00.004-06:00

My blue days are over! Mostly. Until I'm pregnant again. Or until a catastrophe hits. Or, maybe, just until after Christmas. Yes, post partum totally sucked this time around, but it's over and I feel so much better. It's like the sun has come out to stay.

It was not part of my plan to wean Price (see previous post) but I ended up having to anyway. He was tearing me up, the details of which I will not go into here. Suffice it to say, I cried every time I nursed him and in all the 6 weeks I never got past the toe-curling stage. At first I was pretty disappointed that I had to wean him so early. I really don't like it when things don't go the way I plan them. But I'm so over it and am really liking the freedom of a bottle baby. Oh, don't get me wrong, it's the most inconvenient way to feed your baby, to be sure. I'm always washing bottles and there's more to squeeze in the diaper bag. BUT it's really great when you can say to your hubby at night: "It's been a rough day and I've got a rough day tomorrow. Do you mind getting up with him tonight?" Put that together with the fact that Price only wakes up once on the other side of midnight and it's no wonder my days are looking brighter.

The 6 weeks after Price was born were really tough and seemed never ending. To be honest, I don't know how I survived the first month. But I'm really glad that I toughed it out and made the surprise decision to not go on my anti-depressant. Now that I'm on the other side of it, the time really did go by quite fast. And even though I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, I'm here now and basking in its brightness.

One month down

2009-11-12T20:39:00.002-06:00

Well, I already have one month's experience as a mom with two kids. It's been great, if you don't count the horrible post partum depression. I don't say this to garner sympathy, just to give voice to a problem that is sometimes swept under the rug. The more a topic is talked about, the less embarrassing or shameful or taboo it becomes. And I know there are other moms like me who read this blog, whether they admit to it or not...reading my blog, that is, not depression ;)

No motivation, no energy, no enjoyment, no fulfillment might sound typical of a new mom who's getting patches of sleep. Indeed, they are typical. But for me, these symptoms go beyond. It's difficult to explain it if you haven't experienced it. Thankfully, due to a series of conversations, evaluations and decisions I am feeling hopeful. And, no, I did not choose to go back on my medicine, which is a decision that surprised the heck out of me. Depression is not something I fool around with.

BUT...inspite of all that hoopla, I haven't failed to recognize the little miracle that has graced our home. Babies are something special in this house and even though I'm horribly blue it's hard to not feel grateful and somewhat cheered by the presence of my two little miracles. Price is a GOOD baby. He's not as alert or curious as Olivia was and he seems to be a bit more serious but he is just as good natured. He doesn't sleep through the night like she did (though we're hitting the five-hour stretch with more frequency) but he eats and goes right back to sleep...something Olivia never seemed to get the hang of. He cries only when he needs something and is quickly soothed.

Olivia absolutely loves her baby, so I don't have to referee anything there. The only thing I have problems with is keeping her from constantly touching him while he's asleep, lugging him around the house while he's awake and sitting smack on top of him in general. Also I'm feeling immensely better physically and I think my c-section is healing nicely, although I get really sore doing the simplest things. Today, for example, I unloaded/loaded the dishwasher, did several loads of laundry and swept. It all but wiped me out and I feel like I've done hundreds of sit-ups. It can be pretty frustrating and I constantly have to remind myself that I'm recovering from major surgery. Emotionally and mentally I may feel like my life sucks, but I'm glad to know better. I'll just have to ride this storm out and hope I can hang on to the life raft.

Olivia and Price photo shoot

2009-11-06T14:20:00.005-06:00

I hurt too much to chase a 2-year-old down and take a picture so my sister and I schlept the kids to the photographer's the other day for Price's one month and Olivia's 2-year pictures. They turned out WAY better than I thought they would. The photographer did a good job capturing Olivia's natural looks, though she didn't leave him much choice. She wouldn't sit still long enough to smile into the camera. Oh, the stories I could tell. Needless to say, by the end of the day the pictures confirmed what I have always known to be true. My kids are the cutest kids in the universe. But I'll let y'all be the judge. Behold a few of my favorite shots.

Welcome, Price!

2009-10-21T17:46:00.004-05:00

Price Aubrey Martin

Oct. 8, 2009

7:16 a.m.

7 lbs. 19.5 in.

It took me a few days to decide on a name, mainly because morphine keeps you from thinking like a...well, like at all. The c-section went fine and we're all adjusting to having a little man in the house. Olivia does really well with him most of the time. She has problems when he has a blanket she likes or when Aubrey is holding him and playing with him. She also does not like it when he pees on her. Oh, and when he's really crying and screaming because I'm not feeding him fast enough it breaks her little heart and she starts crying, too.

Like Olivia, Price is a very well-behaved baby. The only difference is that he wakes up every 2-3 hours at night to eat...Olivia would sleep for 6-8 hours straight. But he sleeps a lot during the day so as soon as I can actually move faster than .1 miles per hour, we'll work on reversing his schedule.

Mom and my sister and her 3-month-old were down for a week. It was good to meet my niece and mom was a huge help. She did all my laundry, grocery shopping and cooking. Ah, nice! My baby sister comes out next Friday and my dad will be here the first weekend of November when we bless the baby at church. So, all my family (with the exception of my brother) will be able to meet Price...who I here crying now. Must be suppertime!

Baby Update

2009-10-06T11:20:00.002-05:00

I have exciting news that, if given the opportunity, I will shamelessly rub in with all my other pregnant friends.

My c-section is Thursday instead of Friday!!!!

For no other reason than I can do it. The doc said it was available at the last minute if I wanted it and I said, "Uh, yeah." We're super, super excited. I'll ask Aubrey to post some pics of the new little one Friday or Saturday.

The only drawback that I see to this is pattern. You all know how I love patterns. Olivia's birthday is 8-7-07 (subtract one from 8, repeat twice...) and this baby's birthday would have been 10-9-09 (subract one from 10, repeat twice...) But, since I want the baby OUT I'll just have to get over it I guess.

News Briefs

2009-10-04T00:00:00.005-05:00

Well, I meant to get a lot of pictures up here but I'm not sure that it will ever happen. So, you'll have to satisfy yourself with this bullet list of newsworthy moments in the Martin household.

~Aubrey "finished" our family room. He only has detail work left to do but we're already using it. It is quickly just becoming another room for me to clean.
~I'm having a baby via c-section on Friday. I plan to stay conscious for this one. I've been having contractions for a month and every time I move it feels like he's going to drop clean out of me.
~Olivia is a non-stop talker. (Can you believe it?) Her favorite movies are Aladdin (a.k.a. Monkey Movie...she even says lines from it) and Peter Pan (a.k.a. Pan...she's obsessed with the flying).
~My mom, sister and niece are coming on Wednesday and will be here for 10 days. My baby sister comes the end of the month and I'm already compiling a list of things to do around the house while she's here.
~Fall weather is slowly creeping into my corner of the world. This morning I had hot chocolate and I'm actually sleeping under the covers.
~I'm nowhere near completeing all my baby sewing projects. Anyone surprised by this? Anyone? My friend Sara actually took over sewing super cute boppy covers. She's so dependable.

I hope that tides you over for awhile. I really do hope to get some pictures up before I go to the hospital, but that may be wishful thinking.

Where has time gone?

2009-09-05T21:30:00.002-05:00

Whew! It's been forever since I've updated this blog, and yet it feels like it was just last week. Time is moving very quickly in the Martin house as we prepare for the arrival of Baby #2, who will be here NEXT MONTH!! What the crap?

Olivia celebrated her 2nd birthday on August 7, which only makes time seem to go faster. I can't believe that she's as old as she is. It is so much fun to watch her develop and mature and discover things for the first time. She makes a big deal about everything and even the tiniest accomplishments are quickly followed by a very Southern, "I did it! I did it! I did it!"

Aubrey put the window in our new family room today. He first had to remove a door (it will take some getting used to not having it) but the new window looks FABULOUS! It lets in so much light. That was the last major piece of construction left on the new room. Over the next three weeks, he will finish the drywall, paint and lay carpet. That will get the room usable enough to set up the TV, etc., and then we can take our time with detail and trim work. I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but when you consider that the cieling needs painting, everything needs primed, the closet needs organizing...it adds up.

Olivia also moved into her big girl room a couple of weeks ago. She loves sleeping on the double bed and I love that she's out of the nursery and adjusted well before the baby arrives. She continues to make steady progress with the potty. I don't push her, though. I figure we'll really start laying the hammer down after Christmas.

Sorry there aren't pictures. It was either type an update or wait for pictures to load. Pictures take forever to load on my blog because of my camera. I'll get pictures of Olivia's birthday party, new bedroom and some sewing projects up at some point. Time may move fast in our house, but y'all know I seldom pace myself with it!

I'm an aunt!

2009-07-19T20:20:00.005-05:00

My sister Desiree had her baby Friday around 2:30 a.m. via emergency c-section. She came 3 or 4 weeks early because of a few complications, but mom and baby are doing really well. They named her Elsie Maline and she came in at a whopping 5 lbs. 6 oz.! Tiny, tiny! I know this picture isn't a great close-up of her, but it's the only one where her face is mostly turned to the camera. I think she looks a lot like her dad. She's my first niece on my side of the family. My parents now have two grandsons and two granddaughters.

No, I wasn't there for the birth. This photo is courtesy of Desi's best friend. But I FEEL like I was there for the birth. Mom is in Italy and my Dad was AWOL (actually he was watching a movie and couldn't hear his phone) so my sister Savanna and I were up quite late coordinating phone calls, getting in touch with people, etc. I didn't go to bed until Desi's hubby told me that they were able to get in touch with everyone they needed and my Dad was at the hospital. Whew!

In other Martin news, Olivia has a temper. My, oh my. She also "tee-teed" in the potty last night and today in church told me that she pooted. Typically that means that she broke wind, but now it means that she has to poo-poo. A couple of minutes later, you could smell it. When I crinkled my nose, she announced to the whole congregation, "Poo poo, Mommy! Poo poo!" What a gal.

In pregnancy notes, the swelling has begun. I am destined to yet again give birth disguised as a puffer fish. Oh, well. As long as I get healthy babies, it doesn't much matter to me what my body goes through. I'm also starting to wake up stiff and sore. That can only mean one thing: LESS THAN THREE MONTHS TO GO!!!!!! WOO-HOO!

Catching up...

2009-07-09T13:18:00.002-05:00

I'm into my third trimester now and I couldn't be happier about it. I have not been able to get my life in order with this pregnancy and it's been a really difficult thing. Since I've been pregnant, all projects have ceased; I've sent out ZERO birthday, Mother's Day and Father's Day cards; I've neglected the blog; I've neglected my writing; and I've scheduled and cancelled or just plain skipped over social engagements of any kind. And the weird thing is that physically, I feel about 1,000 times better with this one than I did with Olivia. Things are getting better, however, so for that I'm grateful. And with that lead in...

Happy late birthday, Aubrey! Aubrey turned 31 last Friday. What an old man! For his birthday present, I let him play electrician for the day. I just gave him his birthday money to wire the closet he's building in our soon-to-be family room. His mom and dad came for the day and the guys spent their time working on the lights while Olivia discovered her love for the word "Pop" (which is Aubrey's dad). She says it all the time now. I think she just likes the P sound (although I'm sure she likes her actual Pop as well!)

I'm really glad that I have Aubrey for a husband. There are worse people out there I could have married. I've known him since I was 18 years old. Can you believe that? Of course, he did not leave a lasting positive impression on me when I met him...most people don't. I'm hard to impress, even if I do know you. But when he made the hard decision to go on his mission, I thought he must be OK. But I still think he's kind of a punk. He still gets me riled up (on purpose), he still aggravates me (on purpose) and he still spoils me completely rotten. And now, thanks to his stellar example, Olivia smacks me on the hiney every time a bend over. Nice. Thanks for being such a great guy, Aubrey. Hope you had a happy birthday!

Simple Summer Suppers

2009-07-02T16:09:00.003-05:00

I love the summer not because of the heat, but because of the food. For my family, summer means light suppers full of fresh garden vegetables. It also means simple, simple, simple. This is a recipe that I tried out last week and everybody loved it; we had no leftovers. I loved it because there was hardly any prep work and the recipe is so versatile. It can be a great lunch or snack, too. I definitely encourage you to try this...especially if you're pregnant and tired and don't want to cook!

Turkey Cheese Pockets

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

1 tsp. dijon mustard

4 slices shaved turkey lunch meat, finely chopped

1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 can refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

Preheat oven to 400. Mix cream cheese, mayo and mustard in a small bowl; add turkey and cheese and mix well. Press out each biscuit to a 3.5 inch circle and place about 1-2 tsp. filling in the center of each. Fold biscuit over into a pocket and press well to seal the edges (fork works great). Bake 10-12 min. on an ungreased cookie sheet or until browned. Serve hot.

Trust me, these are good. When I made them, I used ham and cheddar cheese, but you could use ham and swiss or chicken and monterrey jack or whatever you want. I added pepper and herbs, too. You could also use different flavors of cream cheese (chive and onion would be soooo good). Next time, I'm going to try an all veggie pocket. Olivia LOVED these, so it would be really easy to sneak a vegetable in with the meat, too. For supper, I paired it with pasta salad and raw veggies. Healthy (each pocket has about 100 calories) and really yummy!

In Memorium

2009-06-26T08:48:00.004-05:00

So, I'm not a huge die-hard fan of MJ, but I'm a huge die-hard fan of Tracy, who I'm sure is taking his passing very hard. Poor thing. So, may I just offer these points of consolation:

1. He can stop paying Billy Jean child support for the kid who's not his son

2. He has been reunited with his nose

3. He for real can never grow old now, just more unrecognizable as his cheek bones become even more prominant

4. He lived long enough to see his music butchered on American Idol

5. His slightly effeminate voice and other-worldly dance moves have made him an unforgettable music icon

Oh, Wacko Jacko, how will we get by without you? At least you haven't done anything noteworthy in the past 10 years. I feel like you've allowed us all to begin the grieving process early. In fact, I've already finished mine. My only regret is that you never found your other glove. But for you, dear friend, I hope my coordinating selection of music will help ease your pain, Tracy. Feel better and rock on.

Mmmm...chocolate...

2009-06-16T14:03:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I woke up and suddenly realized that Olivia is old enough to do things like arts and crafts and baking. So, we made a fish. Then we made "Mmmm, Mommy, chocolate!" Chocolate is everything from chocolate milk to brownies, which is what we ended up making. She helped me stir the brownie mix, insisting on a new spoon after every turn (she even tried to put the dirty ones back into the crock by the stove that holds all my mixing things). This girl can really fling it, let me tell you. We had a really good time until I put it in the oven. She was mortified that we had to bake it, though she's a big fan of the finished result.

Here are some other things Olivia enjoys doing:

1. Dancing and jumping on Mommy's bed...picture Will Ferrell in Flashdance...
2. Calling her pink crocs. When it's time to go "dye-dye" we tell her to go find her crocs and put them on. She stands in the middle of the room and calls for her "cocs" repeatedly until we tell her where they are. Do you think she's lived with dogs long?
3. Wearing Mommy's high heels and bras. She wears my bra so that the cups go over her ears. She looks a lot like Princess Leia.
4. Sitting on the potty.
5. Kissing and pinching Mommy's fat tummy.
6. Taking bubble baths.
7. Claiming everything as her own. "No, Mommy, mine. Mine."
8. Hogging her Daddy. Don't try to come between them, he's another "mine".
9. Doing laps around the dining room table.
10. Taking her babies for walks in nothing but a necklace and her black Sunday shoes. And I mean nothing.

It's a lot of fun to watch her grow up because she's so independent. She's always been that way, though. She weaned herself, taught herself to eat and drink from a cup, taught herself to do all her puzzles and play with her blocks and taught herself to use all her appliances in her little kitchen. About a month ago she announced to us (in a rather passive way, really) that she was done with her crib. She sleeps in her toddler bed now and likes to sit on the potty whenever she has a wet or dirty diaper. She also buckles herself into her carseat and her high chair and prefers to get herself dressed. The latter one doesn't happen unless there's no where to go--she is prone to putting her pants on upside down or both legs through one arm hole. But heaven forbid you help her in any way. Unless you're grumpy, it's super fun to watch!

A Dog's Life

2009-06-09T18:28:00.001-05:00

We brought Sparky home today. Unfortunately, it wasn't the way we wanted to. He was just so sick and so weak that we decided not to delay it any longer and we put him down. He's buried in our backyard where I can see him from the kitchen window. This weekend I'll plant daisies over his grave. They are my favorite flowers because they are so happy and friendly, and so was Sparky.

Aubrey, Olivia and I stayed with him in the room while they put him to sleep. I could barely see him I was crying so hard, but I scratched his ears and stroked his head until he was gone. This is all part of being a pet owner, but it doesn't mean you're prepared for it or that it is easy. The decision was, in fact, very easy, but following through with it was super difficult.

Sparky was by far the sweetest dog we had. He was gentle and protective and extremely patient with Olivia. He was beautiful and I'm heartbroken that my kids won't grow up with him. I'm sure there are some who find this attitude a little difficult to understand. After all, he was just a dog. But he wasn't just a dog to me and his presence at the Martin home is sorely missed.

Sparky Update

2009-06-08T10:59:00.002-05:00

We went to go see Sparky after breakfast and I've been crying my eyes out all morning long. The vet said there was no improvement, other than the fact that he's stopped passing out. I think that we're going to have to put him down, but I'm not willing to do it until Wednesday. The vet said that he isn't eating anything and Aubrey and I couldn't get him to eat while we were there. If he would start eating, the vet would be more optomistic, I think, though damage has already been done.

If he gets himself well enough to come home, we'd have to continue to administer antibiotics to treat his spotted fever. He also has a heart murmur that will never go away. But that can be treated with a twice daily pill. But he's not eating or drinking, which means that he doesn't have any energy to get better and puts his kidneys in danger of shutting down. If he doesn't start eating soon, we can't bring him home. If we can't bring him home, we have to put him down. Aubrey said if he was left to his own devices, Sparky would probably go off somewhere and die. And he's right. I can't remember life without animals and I've seen my fair share of dying dogs, cats, goats, horses, chickens, bunnies, ducks, etc., and that's what they do. But I assure you I cried over every single one. Just because you're familiar with the circle of life doesn't make it any easier to watch. (I can't even watch Eight Below or Turner and Hooch). And it still doesn't mean you can't keep your fingers crossed.

Sad News

2009-06-06T14:55:00.002-05:00

Sparky is in the animal hospital this weekend in really, really bad shape. The vet told Aubrey that Sparky was to the point now where he could go to sleep and not wake up again. He has a really bad case of heartworms, kidney failure and he's showing symptoms of tick-carried diseases. The vet assured us that we had not neglected him (although I know that we should have been giving him heartworm prevention medicine) which helps me feel a little bit better. He's not sure, though, if Sparky really does have lime disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but he's giving him antibiotics right now anyway and he's on an IV to help his kidneys, but the vet doesn't know the cause and effect of it all. Sparky's a purebred and, like all breeds, was born with inherent problems. Could bad kidneys be one of them? As for the heartworms, the vet said a full-force treatment for heartworms would kill him. By Monday, we should know more about his condition. If he's getting better, then the vet will look at options for treating heartworm, but if things don't improve we're going to have to put him down. It makes me sick and breaks my heart to think about it. Sparky is the sweetest dog we've ever had. Who will Olivia play with now? We got her sidewalk chalk for Easter and she really likes to use it to make Sparky look pretty. In fact, when Aubrey took Sparky to the vet this morning, he still had some green eye shadow on.

I bet Aubrey never thought he'd spend this much money on a dog in his life, but y'all know how I feel about my dogs. I'll keep everyone posted, as I'm sure you will all be sitting on the edge of your seats this weekend waiting for an update. Hopefully things will look up. Sparky's got a lot of zip.

We had a 50-50 chance...

2009-05-26T16:18:00.008-05:00

Several weeks ago, Mother Nature tossed a coin and today we found out what the results were. We are having a........

BOY!!!!

It's a mild statement to say that we are excited about this. Of course, Aubrey and I would have been happy with either a boy or a girl, and we've always said that, but when she told us it was a boy, we both flipped. It didn't take her all but three seconds to make the announcement, either. I assure you, he is a boy's boy from any angle. He was really cooperative this morning and showed off quite a bit. Olivia was laying in a ball with her back to us and wouldn't come out to play when they did the ultrasound on her.

I'm at 19 weeks and 1 day today and the baby is growing really, really well. Both of us look really healthy and I'm hoping for continued health for the last half of my pregnancy. The morning sickness is gone (angels are seeing gloria and hallelujah every time I cook) and my fatigue is coming under control. Like Olivia, this little guy is movin' and groovin' almost all the time. He's stretched across my belly so I can feel him at both ends. He wasn't curled up in the fetal position during the ultrasound and as I matched his visual movements to what I was feeling, I think he is stretched out most of the time. That will soon change, little buddy, that will soon change...

Anyway, now that I'm feeling better, maybe I'll get back to posting semi-regularly. In the meantime, enjoy these ultrasound pictures. They came out really well...he was so good, in fact, that the nurse got 17 excellent photos. (Olivia had two) (Oh, sorry about the format of this post. Sometimes blogger can be difficult.)

He is CLEARLY a boy. No questions about it.

Can you see his eye sockets, nose and chin? He looks like a skeleton baby.

Here he is all stretched out.

Here's his foot. He stuck every body part out in turn for our close examination.

Update

2009-05-01T13:11:00.002-05:00

So, it's May and you're all clamoring for an update, I'm sure.

I'm pregnant, I'm tired. There's your update. Sorry, it's the best I can do. Even though a lot of things have happened and a lot is on my mind, you'll just have to wait this little spell out.

Finally some pictures!

2009-03-28T16:25:00.004-05:00

The beginning of March, Olivia and I went out to Nebraska for my sister's wedding. We were really busy! I had to make my bridesmaid's dress, Olivia's flower girl dress, the wedding cake, the groom's cake (which I pawned off on my baby sister) and take pictures. Here are just a few pictures. I'll post more pictures of the wedding party, etc., when I'm done editing them and my sister has seen them. Olivia loves hats. Here she is in her new Uncle Tyler's cowboy hat. All the groomsmen wore cowboy hats and boots.
Here is the groom's cake that I pawned off on Savanna. She and her mother-in-law made it and it turned out AWESOME!!!! It's red velvet. Everybody was taking pictures of it at the reception and it put my wedding cake to shame.

Here are the cakes together. I have two incredible aunts that helped me A TON with the wedding cake (and another extremely talented cake-maker aunt who offered advice via the phone). It was a lemon cake that I made totally from scratch. A lot of work, but soooo good.

Here's a picture of me and Olivia before the wedding. She did so good walking down the isle with her little ball of flowers (and a cracker in her hand). I smocked her dress and it turned out really cute. Again, my aunts helped me by putting the finished touches on her dress and mine (i.e. sewing on Olivia's sleeves and all the hand stitching...they also pressed my dress and did the finishing stitches on that, too.) I am not kidding when I say my aunts are super amazing women!

I don't want to this post to be too long, so I'll tell you more about the wedding another time, when I post the rest of the pictures. Let me just say that I will NOT be that involved in a wedding again at 7 weeks pregnant, even though I was happy to help my sister. Still, never again. I don't care if the bride is the Queen of England.

An attitude of gratitude

2009-03-23T13:37:00.002-05:00

So, I've been doing a lot of contemplating these past couple of weeks about life, the world, the cosmos...all the big stuff. And I've come to a conclusion: one of the biggest problems with our society is that people aren't grateful enough for what they have.

If you're grateful, you don't:
*swindle millions from hard-working investors because you're own 7-figure salary isn't enough
*put your family in debt up to their eyeballs so you can keep up with the Jones's
*criticize the people around you
*look at the glass half empty

However, you will:
*be happy no matter what (almost)
*work hard and be pleased with your life
*love to be around and to be kind to people, who will have no choice but to love you back
*give others confidence because you have it yourself

I really could go on and on, but I think you get the point. I've definitely had some pretty trying times in life and with each experience, I've found that being grateful takes away much of the burden. I'm thankful for everything I have from the opportunity to be a mom (and even the challenges of getting there) to my quiet-running dishwasher. And I'm super thankful for my sense of humor. It's so much better living on the lighter side of life. What are you thankful for? I want to hear it.

Oh, baby!

2009-03-10T16:08:00.002-05:00

So, the rumors are flying, stories are circulating and the questions keep coming. Let me just take a moment to address everything at once: YES, I AM PREGNANT!

I found out that I'm pregnant the first week of February. I admire those moms who can keep it a secret until their belly pops out, but I can't. Since we have to jump through so many hoops, as soon as I find out, I just want to yell it from the rooftops! I'm 8 weeks pregnant and due Oct. 19. (I'm told, Tiffy, that this is extremely close to when you are due...all I can say is FINALLY!) I've been sick for a couple of weeks already. Good times.

I heard the heartbeat last week for the first time, which is one of my favorite things. The baby is so tiny and doesn't look like a baby at all, really, but then you hear this fast ba-boom, ba-boom, ba-boom and know without doubt that there's a living, growing, tiny little life inside of you. I love that feeling.

Now you've all heard it from the horse's mouth! I have lots of other posts about my sister's wedding and my trip back to Nebraska to put up and I have to update my blog background and music. No telling when that will happen though, as Olivia's nap times have become my nap times. All I can say is someday...

How good are you in the kitchen?

2009-02-20T10:33:00.002-06:00

You may recall that I a couple of posts back I reviewed a recipe from Shelf Reliance's THRIVE line. Well, that same company is offereing a recipe contest using items in your food storage.

The contest runs through Feb. 28. (I know, I'm late getting this info out, but my ridiculous new email set-up misfiled the email...more on my stupid server later...) You can get the full rules at http://www.shelfreliance.com/pages/contests, but I'll go ahead and give you the rundown here.

Prizes Include:

1st Place = One (1) Harvest Food Rotation System ($459 value)
2nd Place = THRIVE Fruits and Veggies Essential Package ($283 value)
3rd Place = Three (3) Cansolidator Pantry systems ($135 value)

To Enter:
1) You may submit your recipe through email to contest@shelfreliance.com
2) You can mail in your entry to: Shelf Reliance Contests, 810 N. 2800 W., Lindon, UT, 84042

Rules:
1) All recipes must be submitted by Feb. 28, 2009 by 6:00 PM MST
2) Multiple entries are allowed, but each entry must be submitted separately
3) All entries must include the recipe name, number of servings the recipe yields, clearly understandable ingredients and ingredient measurements, step-by-step preparation instructions, and cooking directions.
4) You must include your name, phone number, complete address, and e-mail address with each entry.

Judging:
All entries will be judged by a qualified panel of judges to select (1) grand prize winner, (1) second place winner, and (1) third place winner. Recipes will be judged on taste, creativity, and practicality.

Like I said, go to the link above for all the details, but it doesn't look like they're being too specific on what you want to make. Take it from me, that the prizes are well worth the time and effort. I guess now's the time for you to figure out just how, exactly, you can use that 10 gallon drum of wheat you have in your basement. And even if you don't win, your family will thank you for making all that wheat palpable. No prize can take the place of a happy family at the dinner table.

Olivia's Top Ten

2009-02-11T21:02:00.001-06:00

This is Olivia's reading chair. No matter where he is in the house, she'll drag him to where he needs to be (he's bigger than her, so sometimes, she'll push him in her baby stroller). She has a HUGE pink bear she does the same thing with in her crib. She also does this to Mom and Dad when we're on the floor with her. She's a great weight for doing sit-ups.

Well, Olivia is 18 months old and a few days. I haven't taken all of her 18-month pictures yet, but I'll post them when I do. I thought I'd do this post a little differently than my other Olivia updates. May I introduce Olivia's Top Ten, things you may or may not know about Little Livy.

1. Statistics: Height: 2'5" Weight: 19 lbs. 2 oz. Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue

2. Favorite foods: green beans, spaghetti, peanut butter, pancakes, fish and crayons

3. Favorite books: "I Love You More," "Olivia's Opposites," her Backyardigans alphabet book and Daddy's surveying magazines

4. Favorite hangout: outside or the bathtub

5. Hobbies: brushing her teeth, finding her belly-button, pulling out her wipes one at a time and taking Baby for a walk

6. Favorite stuffed animals: Huffy the Huffalump, Winnie the Pooh, Pink Bear and Horsey

7. Favorite subject: recess

8. Favorite meal: pancakes with maple syrup and fruit snacks (she wants it every morning)

9. Favorite place to travel: anywhere she can run

10. Worst fears: helicopters, Pop's bird, the dark

Olivia is really growing up and her little (big) personality is shining through. She is quite the character and will never give you a moment's rest. Needless to say, I'm excited for the next six months!

Raspberry Goodness

2009-02-02T12:30:00.009-06:00

Shelf Reliance, a company that focuses on food storage and emergency preparedness, asked me to use their products in one of their recipes and post my opinion. Last week, I received powdered butter, powdered eggs, flour, white sugar and freeze-dried raspberries (all part of their THRIVE line) along with a recipe for Raspberry Cake Bars. My contact told me I could make the recipe or one of my own. I chose to make their recipe because I thought it would give me a better idea of the overall company.

I was really excited to do this because, as we all know, I feel my opinion on any given subject is invaluable to others (as do all good reporters), I LOVE to be in my kitchen and writing comes like breathing to me. How much easier could this be? In this post, I'll give my review of the recipe and in another post I'll tackle their products. There's a lot to say, but nobody wants to scroll through five pages on their computer screen. (Also, I want to apologize now for the lack of formatting amongst my paragraphs. I'm having issues with Blogger right now. Serious issues.)

THRIVE Raspberry Cake Bars
Crumb topping:

1/2 c. THRIVE white flour

1/2 c. THRIVE sugar

1/4 c. THRIVE butter

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom (optional)

Bars:

2 c. THRIVE sugar

3/4 c. THRIVE butter

1/2 c. buttermilk

4 Tbsp. THRIVE eggs (reconstitute with 8 Tbsp. water)

2-1/2 c. THRIVE white flour

1/4 tsp. THRIVE salt

2-1/2 c. THRIVE raspberries

Place 2 cups of raspberries in a bowl with enough hot water to cover and let stand 15 minutes, then drain off liquid and let berries dry. Preheat oven to 350. Reconstitute the butter powder for the crumb topping (1 Tbsp. butter to 1 Tbsp. water). In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sugar and the cinnamon and cardamom. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter until crumbly. Set mixture aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter with mixer until creamy. On low speed, beat in buttermilk and eggs until smooth. Stir in flour and salt. Spread in a greased 15x10x1 pan. Sprinkly with berries and crumb topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars. (Cut 8 rows by 6 rows for 48 bars).

First, let me just say that I really liked these bars. They were moist and delicious. I knew right away that the butter was powdered, but I don't think it really hurt the taste very much at all. It sure didn't stop me from eating them four at a time! I didn't use all the raspberries it called for because I wanted to save some to try in other recipes (to experiment with their versatility), but you still got raspberry with every bite. I thought the raspberries were especially good. They weren't wimpy on flavor and they were bright red.

Second, I like the versatility of this recipe. You can use any berry you want on top: fresh, frozen or rehydrated. You can add oatmeal to the crumb topping and even substitute some of the ingredients. For example, blueberries go better with nutmeg so I'd use that instead of cardamom. Also, buttermilk isn't something I keep on hand, and neither is cardamom. But I wanted to make it with things I had (isn't that the whole point of food storage...to use what you have?) So, I skipped the cardamom (it was optional anyway) and used Olivia's vitamin D milk instead of the buttermilk. No doubt that buttermilk would have made these bars richer, but whole milk did the job just fine. Don't skip the powdered sugar, though. They make these basic bars super special. (But I bet they'd be just as good drizzled in icing!)

Third, this recipe makes a lot of bars. When it comes to recipes using food storage, you want to get the most bang for your buck. You want to be able to get a lot of food out of just a few ingredients. This recipe totally fits the bill. I made the bars on Thursday and I still have more than half left. In fact, if you took extra care, you could probably make them part of your freezer storage, too, and have sweet little treats on hand for everybody from neighbors to visitors and anything from A+ report cards to Tuesday afternoon snacks.

My only advice to those who make this recipe: rehydrate your berries in the morning and let them dry into the afternoon or let them dry over night. Berries retain a lot of water, especially if they're dehydrated. You certaintly don't want a soggy bar. Also, take care when reconstituting the butter. I was only half paying attention and it got out of hand very quickly. In fact, I wonder if I didn't add a little too much butter to the bars. Maybe that's why I could taste it. I didn't let my butter get cold before I cut it into my crumb mixture and it worked just fine. But if you have a preference, then reconstitute it with the berries and stick it in the fridge while your berries dry.

All in all, this recipe was incredible easy and very good. There is a little more prep work involved with this one than there is with an average recipe, but that's only because you're not using average ingredients. I definitely reccommend this to anyone looking for ways to rotate through their own food storage--or even those who aren't! Who said using food storage had to be all about putting unground wheat in your chili and eating five-bean soup for a week?

Happy, Happy, Happy

2009-01-29T09:47:00.005-06:00

My final installment in my dog series is all about Sammy, our American Cocker Spaniel. Sammy is also known around our house as Sam, Sam-a-lam-a-ding-dong, Sam-I-Am and Samilicious. Originially, these dogs were used to hunt birds. Today's dog (unless otherwise trained) doesn't really have those interests anymore, but they still have curiosity and a good sniffer.

This breed is called the merry cocker, and the name could not be more fitting. Sammy is such a happy dog. He's so happy, that sometimes we wonder if he doesn't have a screw loose somewhere. True to his breeding, he is playful (extremely so), nice, sweet and smart. It's been hard for us to teach him manners, though, because he is so energetic. He won't take two breaths to listen to you. Also, he's our canine baby and just like the baby in your own family we pretty much let him do whatever he wants. He's not a bad dog, just very undisciplined.

Sammy is always excited to see us outside. He absolutely loves to play catch and our backyard is big enough to give him plenty of room to run after the ball. He and Olivia often fight over who gets to play with the ball. Sammy is a jumper and jumps on everybody, even Olivia. That is why Sparky is so attentive to her when we're outside. He's trying to give her a break from Sam.

Sammy loves the water, especially in the summer when it's so hot down here. He'll go into the lake in our neighborhood, but he won't go into the baby pool we got him last year. Very curious. Cockers have thick, long coats that require a lot of care. I have a small confession to make. I don't take very good care of Sammy's coat. We just let it grow nice and thick in the winter and then we shave him bald in the summer.
Cockers are very social animals and don't usually make good outside dogs. That being said, Sammy is entirely an outside dog. But it's OK with him, because he has Sparky. Sammy and Sparky are really great together. When we first come outside, Sammy greets us and then runs off to wake up Sparky (who is deaf) to let him know we're there. He alerts Sparky to anything unusual in the yard and even wakes him up at meal time. This last one is particularly interesting because Sparky, being the Alpha dog, makes Sammy wait to eat whatever he doesn't. If I were Sammy, I'd wake Sparky up after I'd eaten. Besides being attentive, he is all over Sparky all the time. Jumping, climbing, biting, pushing. They're an interesting pair and I think of them as The Odd Couple. Sammy is everything Sparky is not. He also tries to play with Peanut (see above). When you see the two of them together like that, you can bet that Sammy is playing and Peanut is fighting.
Sammy has a really low, deep bark that sounds about four times his size, but he rarely uses it. As far as a watchdog goes, he's pretty good. But when it comes to guarding or protection of anykind, he's horrible. He's just too friendly with people and squirrels alike.

All in all, Sammy is the most playful and fun dog that we have and you never leave him without a big dopy grin on your face. He makes a wonderful pet and, out of all my dogs, he is hands-down the most reccommendable (I think I just made that word up) family dog. He's a lot of fun, doesn't bite (he isn't even ill-tempered) and--as with most cockers--he is EXTREMELY loyal. Give him a little and you'll be rewarded 100 times over and more.

Cruella's Desire

2009-01-26T12:56:00.001-06:00

Staying true to my dog series, let me introduce you to Sparky, the only one left of a pair of Dalmatians we used to own. Sparky is hands-down the sweetest dog we have. He's laid back, protective, fun to play with and oh-so-good with kids.

In general, people say that this breed is too energetic for small children. That may have been true of his brother, Scamp, but Sparky is the perfect gentleman. When we're outside playing, the only thing that concerns me is that he is a 60-lb. dog and Olivia is a 20-lb. baby. I also have to watch his tail. He's knocked Olivia down on more than one occassion (she does her best to push him out of the way and pull herself back up.) Sparky is also deaf, which is another reason Dalmatians aren't reccommended for small children--deaf dogs tend to spook and snap. That has never happened to us, although I do make a point to tell people he's deaf and I wake him up before Olivia plays with him to avoid any misunderstanding.

Dalmatians are SMART dogs. Just because Sparky can't hear doesn't mean we can't communicate with him. He responds very well to many hand signals--which took only minutes to teach him. His deafness also doesn't slow him down as a watchdog, which Dalmatians are very good at. (They used to run with carriages to keep away robbers and animals). His sweet personality turns absolutely viscious if he sees another dog even breathing on our property line, and his eyes pick up everything. He is also constantly guarding Olivia from Sammy, our ever-playful cocker. Nothing gets between Sparky and his baby girl as long as he's around. Olivia doesn't really appreciate this protective attitude, but I do.

Sparky's easy-going personality (which is very different from most Dalmatians...even his brother Scamp) means Olivia can pretty much do whatever she wants to him. When she was younger, she'd pull on his tongue, pull on his ears, pull on his tail and climb all over him. He responded with kisses (see below); he didn't even bark, growl or snap. Now she's tall enough to scratch his back and he loves her even more.

One thing that makes Dalmatians so loyal, I think, is their need for companionship. When we lost Scamp, Sparky needed to be with us 24/7. I don't care what you see on TV, it is impossible to share a house with a 60-lb. lapdog who sheds a new coat of hair every hour. That's when we got Sammy, and the two are never apart (more about Sammy later). Sparky absolutely does not do well by himself.

While I love Sparky and can't imagine Olivia growing up without him, I don't reccommend this breed to other families with young children. In many ways, Sparky is a very special dog. Perhaps if you introduced this dog to your family as a puppy, it would be OK. But if you're looking at an adult, I'd be very careful. I'm grateful that we go such a sweet boy with Sparky (again, his brother Scamp...totally different story...we named him Scamp for a reason). He is definitely a wonderful family dog for us.

King of the Toy Dogs

2009-01-23T09:46:00.003-06:00

Aubrey and I are really lucky to have three beautiful pure-bred dogs that we didn't have to pay for. They just kind of became part of our family spontaneously (if only children came the same way!) I love my dogs almost as much as I love Olivia so I thought I would post a little something about them, or one of them. Also, since the title of my blog is "It's a Dog's Life," it seems only appropriate that something doggish should appear every once in a while.

This is Peanut, our miniature pinscher. He is not related to the doberman in any way shape or form. In fact, his breed showed up a couple hundred years before the doberman. If you've ever housesat for us, then you know that Peanut is a lap dog, which is very natural. The min pin also burrows. When you come to our house (unless Peanut has already met you at the door) you need to look under the couch pillows before you sit down. Also, Peanut cannot go to bed at night unless he is under a blanket. If you don't make a blanket available or "tuck him in", he will wake you up at midnight to do it.

Miniature Pinschers are very intelligent and have a lot of energy. When they run or walk, the prance like a horse. That's why they're called King of the Toy Dogs. They are very regal looking. Peanut goes out every afternoon and sits on a small hill in our backyard and looks out over his kingdom. He very much looks like royalty and he is such a snob. As a result of this inner confidence, min pins think they are the same size as...perhaps even larger than... whatever dog they happen to be around. Peanut is also very quick, and in his younger days he used to chase squirrels and come within centimeters of them. Min pins also love to eat, and Peanut is no exception, as the illustration below depicts. Notice that he is trying to pick up two corn cobs at the same time. Peanut had no use for Olivia until she started eating table food, now he is her shadow. His favorite food is potoato peels, which are actually bad for him, but he'll eat anything. When he was a puppy, we used to find him inside our trash can in the kitchen eating the potato peels that we had thrown away. His girth is proof of his addiction to food.

They say that miniature pinschers are good family dogs, but you have to socialize them early and really raise them around small children. A mature dog introduced to a young family is probably not going to do well. That said, we acquired Olivia well after we got Peanut and we have never had a problem with him in regards to her. He pretty much ignores her until she starts to chase him or feed him. We've also never had him bite any of our friends' kids, nieces or nephews some of whom can be a little rough with him (as young kids usually are). He does do his fair share of growling, though, and that can sound pretty intimidating. The name miniature pinscher in German (where the breed originated) means "small or tiny biter". And Peanut is. He uses small, quick bites. But when he "bites" Olivia, it's never more than closing his mouth over her itty bitty hands. She loves it.

I love my dogs and I love Peanut! He is Mr. Personality. When we got him, he was so tiny he could fit in Aubrey's shirt pocket. When we took him for walks as a puppy, we would have to lift him over the curbs because he was so small. He is the perfect house dog and so well behaved. He is completely devoted to us. He'll be 6 in May, and his chin whiskers have gone gray, but I hope he'll be with us for many years to come!

Shake that booty!

2009-01-07T09:41:00.002-06:00

Finally! Scientific evidence that junk in the trunk is to be envied. I read this on FoxNews.com and immediately felt better about myself. May it inspire self-worth to the rest of you round-bottomed ladies!

Women can stop worrying about pear-shaped figures — fat bottoms have been scientifically proven to be a sign of good health.

New research, published in the journal Cell Metabolism, suggests the fat responsible for producing the pear shape flaunted by celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce may be active in protecting women from diseases by releasing certain hormones. Buttock and hip fat may protect women against type 2 diabetes, researchers from Harvard Medical School found.

When buttocks and hip fat from mice was injected into other mice, their bodies easily used the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin and lost weight.

They were also able to make better use of insulin, the main hormone linked to diabetes.
People with the apple shape, where fat is stored around the tummy, can be more prone to type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Those with pear-shaped bodies, where fat is collected in the buttocks, are less likely to have these disorders.

Researcher Dr. Ronald Kahn insisted that not all fat was bad for health.

"The surprising thing was that it wasn't where the fat was located, it was the kind of fat that was the most important variable," he said.

"Even more surprising, it wasn't that abdominal fat was exerting negative effects, but that subcutaneous fat was producing a good effect.

I think it's an important result because not only does it say that not all fat is bad, but I think it points to a special aspect of fat where we need to do more research."

Scientists also monitored the health of the mice given the fat transplants. When it was inserted into the tummy area, the mice lost weight and their fat cells shrank. The researchers will now try to identify the hormones.

Happy (almost) New Year!

2008-12-30T10:55:00.002-06:00

Our Christmas was fabulous! We spent a few days with Aubrey's parents and Olivia had a blast playing with all of her cousins' new toys. She's still afraid of John (who is three months older) and pouted whenever he came near her. Unfortunately, my camera's battery was dead so we didn't get any pictures.

As you can see, I've updated the look and music on my blog. One thing you may have noticed, however, is that I have not updated my list of resolutions. That's because I'm doing them again this year. I'm horrible at keeping resolutions. That's not to say that I haven't accomplished anything, it just means that I got really sidetracked.

Since there's nothing else to post, and Olivia is fending for herself, I'll sign off by wishing everyone a happy and bright New Year!

Christmas Wishes

2008-12-19T10:38:00.003-06:00

Hoping you like what you get this Christmas!

So, all morning I take pictures of Olivia for our Christmas card and not one smile. What is the deal? I finally settled on this one, with the caption as our Christmas message.

I just want to take this moment to wish all of you loyal readers a very merry Christmas. I, for one, believe that the season is more than a happy holiday. The Christmas spirit that somehow makes this, of all seasons, one of peace and goodwill is none other than the Christ spirit. To take that spirit out of Christmas would leave the holiday meaningless. And I'm convinced that even those who do not believe would feel the difference.

This is a time when Aubrey and I like to remember all of our blessings. We are first and foremost blessed with the birth of the Savior all those years ago. His humble birth means hope for a weary world and hope for people who are tossed to and fro in a dismal ocean. What a glorious gift!

We've also been blessed with success and good health this year. Aubrey earned his surveyor's license, Olivia learned to walk and talk and I found a new kind of fulfillment in writing and teaching piano lessons. Life is good!

We hope that all of you remember your blessings from this last year and find reason to hope for a better year. Take time from the hustle of the busy season to reflect upon the reason we celebrate. That tiny baby sleeping in the hay is the King of Kings, your Advocate for all that is good and the Savior of your soul. With that in mind, we wish you the merriest of Christmases!

Six years down, an infinity to go

2008-12-14T16:37:00.006-06:00

Aubrey and I celebrate our six-year wedding anniversary today. In some ways, it's hard to believe that it's already been six years. In other ways, it's hard to believe that it's been only six years. This man is incredible and continues to give me everything I've ever asked him for. He spoils me rotten, and I almost never hear the word "no" come out of his mouth. I am so proud of him and the way he works so hard for his family.

Aubrey and I don't have a whole lot in common. Even our personalities are very different. But we don't fight as much as you'd think two opposite people would fight. Do you want to know our secret? I'm lucky to be married to a man who agrees with me on all of the "big rocks". And I mean we do not disagree on a single rock. By big rocks, I mean our core values--mainly religion and spirituality, but also the process of living. For example, we don't argue about whether or not our sons (should we ever get one or some...) will serve missions or our children will go to college. We argue about what we will and will not pay for. I'll take the latter over the former any day of the week, since those are just silly pebbles to me. I am so blessed to be married to a man who not only understands the way I feel about such things, but also feels the same way and understands for himself their importance.

Happy anniversary, Aubrey! I love being your wife and the mother of your children.

Hooray!

2008-12-10T17:09:00.001-06:00

HE DID IT!!! AUBREY PASSED!!!

He only had to take the test once. He is a genius.

Hmmm...

2008-12-10T14:29:00.004-06:00

The title of this post is in reference to my blank mind. Hmmm...what can I possible write about that would interest my readers? Nothing, 'cause nothing's going on. I will, however take this opportunity to say how proud I am of my Tide. We did so well this year (which is a gross understatement, I know) and I really look forward to kicking some tail at the Sugar Bowl. We Southerners love us some sugar. I will also be picketing the football complex after the New Year demanding that Nick Saban get a raise.

ROLL TIDE!!

Just to have something new

2008-12-02T08:53:00.002-06:00

I really don't have a lot to post about right now, but I figured I'd put something up anyway as I'm sure my loyal followers are itching for something current.

Mom & Dad were down for almost two weeks over Thanksgiving and we had a good visit. Of course Olivia figured out right away that Grandma will give her anything she wants. I got a lot of "na, na, na, na, na" looks. Thanksgiving dinner was SO good. We had turkey, ham with an orange glaze, mashed potatoes with gravy, YUMMY glazed sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing, orange-infused green beans, cran-apple jell-o salad, homemade rolls, pecan pie and apple pie. And, yes, I made it all except the gravy. I love to cook Thanksgiving dinner!

Aubrey, Dad and my old boss/family friend Jerry went to the Auburn game. I'm so jealous! They had a really good time tailgating and watching the Tide steamroll those nasty Tigers 36-0. Aubrey was hoarse when he got home. He said that the fans just got louder and louder as the game went on. I know many of you readers hold the Utah-BYU rivalry as one of the biggest rivalries. Nuh, uh. You haven't seen a rivalry (pre-game brawl or not) until you've been to the Iron Bowl. When I have more time, I'll post the history of the game. It's very interesting.

Yesterday I put my house in order and today I'm putting up my Christmas decorations hoping my friends Jody and Emmy will stop by. Jody is a distant cousin to Aubrey and they are both responsible for getting the two of us together. If it wasn't for Jody's sneakiness and Emmy's boldness, we might have never dated. (Of course, Tracy, you played an important role, too!) I'm anxious to see them.

Sunday night our power went off for about an hour and a half. It was kind of fun, sitting in front of the fireplace with candles lit all around the living room. I told Olivia (as she tried to turn the TV on with the remote) that we were living like pioneers. We made a pallet on the floor in front of the fireplace and laid/played there until the power came on again. We actually had a really great time. I'm glad we have a fireplace, because it got cold awfully fast once the heater shut off.

Family Pictures

2008-11-29T11:21:00.004-06:00

I took some pictures of my friend Jeni's family a week or two ago and thought I'd post some of them. I want to emphasize that I am not a portrait photographer, but I think they came out really well. This is also the first time Jeni will see them, as I have not given her the disk yet. Let me know what you think, please. I'm always looking for ways to do better.

Christmastime is here!

2008-11-28T22:27:00.003-06:00

OK, I've eaten the turkey, stuffing, pies, etc. several times now. I feel that I've given the Harvest Season its due. Now it's on to the most wonderful time of the year! I hope this background and my music get you into the festive holiday spirit. I'm still building my playlist (which I should have started in October) but if you have favorites, let me know and I'll put them on the rotation. Hopefully I'll include a few that aren't worn to shreds on your all-Christmas radio station. Enjoy!

Many Thanks

2008-11-27T07:24:00.005-06:00

I'm taking a brief break from my Thanksgiving schedule (which has been planned since before Halloween) to list some things that I'm thankful for. They are in no particular order, though my most thankful items found their way to the top anyway. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

1. Aubrey we're talking serious celestial intervention here
2. Olivia if you know the story, you know that the word thankful isn't strong enough
3. Gospel it gives me identity, direction and understanding
4. My home we're so lucky to be in our house, which easily accomodates three dogs, a cat and a family
5. My neighbors I have awesome neighbors right next door and around the neighborhood
6. Music I can't go a day without playing, singing or listening to it
7. My girls the 8-11 year-old girls at church are so much fun and help me feel young (when they don't make me feel old)
8. My BIG girls I have lots of good friends who've known me a long time and still enjoy my company
9. Family I have a great immediate and extended family who are pretty close
10. In-laws what?! yes, I have awesome in-laws and I love my sisters-in-law
11. Facebook it helps me keep up with my family and friends, some whom I haven't seen since kindergarten
12. Dishwasher no pre-rinsing neccessary, baked-on mess or not!
13. Plumbing I've actually been without running water in the winter, so this is not a flippant item of gratitude
14. My dogs no other creature on earth is capabale of such natural, unconditional affection
15. Parley P. Cat she keeps my feet warm at night and I appreciate a little sass
16. Modern technology it lets me do what I do
17. Employment we're blessed to still have a job, even with other companies closing their doors
18. Books there is nothing like a good book
19. Education I'm so glad I'm not stupid
20. Humor it makes some pretty difficult situations livable and it feels so good to laugh
21. Our church assignment the people in Greensboro are such good people and we've been blessed to serve with them
22. Sunday naps I can't function without one
23. This country as bad as you think it is, things are a lot worse in other parts of the world; we're not just lucky, we're blessed to live here
24. Cows I love cheese and steak
25. Stars one of my favorite things to do is look at the night sky

What are you thankful for?

Say it...

2008-11-26T06:37:00.002-06:00

...vampire.

Are you scared?

No.

Ahhh!!!! I saw the movie Saturday and I want to see it again. Bella's friends totally made me feel like I was in high school again with all their giggling and I want to play baseball with vampires. I confess, it took me awhile to get into it, but I loved it. Having read the book made it even better because I understood the looks and the humor (like when Charlie makes a big show with his shotgun before their date...as if that would make a difference...) Believe it or not, the only character I didn't like was Jacob. I was sad for that. BUT after seeing the movie, I might have changed allegiances. I could be a vampire girl now. But to be sure, I'll have to see the movie again...and again...and maybe read the books again...and again...

She's just a slip of a thing

2008-11-13T16:58:00.002-06:00

Olivia's been in a forward-facing carseat since September. The catch is that you need to be at least 20 pounds...she was only 17 pounds. I know all you moms are going to hate on me for doing that, but in my defense, we were going on a long road trip and thought that it would be better traveling for her, and we were right. We also thought that it would be no time at all until she reached that 20-lb. mark. This is where we were horribly wrong.

Today was Olivia's 15-month check-up and she weighs a whopping 18 lbs. and 1 oz. That means that she won't technically be ready for the forward-facing carseat until, geez, February. It also means that large gusts of wind can topple her like a two-year-old Godzilla topples a tower of Legos. And it means that Sparky can knock her down with a quick flit of his tail. That several of her 12-month pants wind up around her ankles after a few laps around the living room (guess she didn't get my caboose). And it means that I can still hold her and do the dishes at the same time (although certainly not in record time!) It also means that after all that agony of deciding whether or not to give her a middle name, I was right to do so. Could there possibly be a better name for this tiny little imp than Tynni?

Five top-eight things about moi

2008-11-09T19:33:00.004-06:00

Aubrey's watching a gross werewolf movie, so in looking for something to do other than watch peoples' entrails get pulled out, I decided to do my friend Meghan's tag. She loves tags...I have a cool one coming up for you, Meghan. Here we go:

8 TV Shows I Watch:
1. Chuck
2. The Unit
3. The Closer
4. NCIS
5. The Office
6. Big Bang Theory
7. Crusoe
8. Pushing Daisies

8 Things That Happened Yesterday:
1. Baby Shower
2. ALABAMA BEAT LSU IN OVERTIME!!!
3. I almost had a panic attack 'cause Alabama went into overtime
4. Finished a quilt (which is a whole other blog post)
5. Went to bed at 8:30. Yes, I said 8:30.
6. Read part of "The Black Arrow" by Robert Louis Stevenson
7. Listened to Christmas music
8. Frizzed my hair with the blow dryer

8 Favorite Places to Eat:
1. Anything off the beaten path
2. Pepito's
3. Steamers (I hate seafood, but love the atmosphere)
4. Cypress Inn
5. Newk's
6. McAlister's
7. Wendy's
8. Valentino's (YUMMY pizza/buffet place in Lincoln)...That was hard 'cause we never eat out.

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:
1. A baby (I'm not pregnant)
2. Getting out of debt in less than two years!!!
3. Christmas
4. Thanksgiving with my parents
5. Making Thanksgiving dinner
6. The Iron Bowl
7. A national championship
8. The SEC championship

8 Things on My Wishlist:
1. Kitchen Aid
2. A new kitchen floor
3. A family room
4. Frames for all my photography
5. My old brain, sharp and clear
6. A baby
7. Crimson mums...can't seem to find them anywhere
8. New skillets

8 Tagged People
1. Savanna
2. Desiree
3. Steff
4. Tiff (if you're still alive)
5. Donna
6. Elizabeth
7. Jess
8. Noel

So, Hail TO the Chief, or Hail ON the Chief?

2008-11-05T11:33:00.004-06:00

Before Homeland Security strikes me down, let me just say that I would personally never rain hail on anyone. I would pray to have it done. I only rain down the thunder and lightening of my wrath, hail-free.

I am, of course, devestated by the outcome of the presidential election (or as devistated as you can be about something like this). I don't trust the man any farter than I can throw my piano (and I can't even push my piano) and share virtually no values with him. That said, and being a ridiculous optomist, I am still hopeful for the next four years. At least he's not the anti-Christ. I mean, do you know how seriously evil he would have to be? I'm hoping that, as with all politicians, he can't do everything he says he wants to--because I disagree with almost everything he wants to do. I'm also hoping that he'll find success where others have failed: bridging the ever widening gap between political parties. I am so sick of the hateful rhetoric that goes on between the two. If you listened to some Republicans, you'd think Obama was The End of Days. If you listened to some Democrats, you'd think McCain would have us all implanted with computer chips in the name of the Patriot Act.

Get a grip on reality, people! Please! You're making me lose my grip on mine!

Oh, but I did want to add that, win or lose, it is really exciting to be part of this whole process. It was pretty cool watching the news channels and realizing that the anchors, presidential nominees and VP nominees all voted, too. Even the President votes. It's one thing that, no matter how poor or low profile you are, you get to be involved in as well. It's one of the few things that bridges the class lines these days.

More on politics...

2008-11-03T09:19:00.003-06:00

Well, it was my intention to get into a discussion on the economy, but I'm afraid that will have to wait for another day. Both Olivia and I have a little bug...that means all my spare time (such as it is with a sick baby) will be devoted to my living, breathing pile of laundry instead of pointing out the myths and truths of our economic recession.

I will say this, however, as encouragement for you to do your own research: be careful where you get your information. Whether you read the ultra-liberal New York Times or watch the pseudo fair and balanced Fox News, the media have become questionable second sources. They are no longer objective. If you want the reality of either candidate's game plan, visit their official websites, don't read it in a column or hear about it from a panel. If you want facts and figures, research them yourself. Look at what the media sites as a source and then go to that source. Make sure nothing is taken out of context. It doesn't take a lot of intelligence to track any of this information down, especially with the internet. Just google a word and look for things like "official website" or "independent researchers".

If you have questions about the candidates' voting history, look it up. It's public info, you know. Don't assume that Obama is right when he says McCain voted with George Bush 98% of the time, find out. A good question to ask is how often did Obama vote with George Bush? And don't automatically believe that Obama is up to his ears in Acorn(s). Find out for yourself how far his involvement with the organization goes. A good question to ask is has Obama done anything else with the organization other than act as counsel? All I'm saying is that you can't trust the media to give you accurate information in a proper context. Find out for yourself.

My Little Pixie

2008-11-01T12:37:00.005-05:00

Just thought I'd interrupt this political furor with some pictures of the cutest baby on the block. Olivia is a really tiny girl, and my mother-in-law calls her a pixie, so the logical choice for a Halloween costume was, indeed, a fairy. She was so cute! Even if the costume (which I made to get a custom fit) was too big. Here are some pictures, too, of the pumpkin carving we did with some friends for Family Home Evening. Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

Roll Tide Roll!

Olivia and Sydney, who is always so sweet to her.

The kids taking a break from running around and screaming like banshis. I assure you the break was short.

The back of Olivia. No matter what I did, the wings were just too big.

She's a walker now, so any picture I take is of her on the move. Sure is cute, though, huh?

Nothing like a good discussion

2008-10-31T10:18:00.004-05:00

I've received many comments about my previous blog entry, which I'm sure you know by now was written to stimulate a political discussion. For me, experience is really a moot point. I only brought it up because I hear so many Obama supporters criticize Palin for her lack of experience. To which, I can only say, at least she ran a state (no matter the population size!).

Second, I do believe that Obama is a social democrat. That is, I believe that he seeks to combine elements of socialism and capitalism. To call him a pure socialist is wrong, as I don't believe he seeks to completely replace capitalism. The question left to the voter is: Does he go too far for comfort? Answer it carefully, because it might surprise you to know that you probably have socialist beliefs as well. Even the Declaration of Indpendence embraces it so far as to say, "All men are created equal." And they are. Just being human gives you lots of rights and entitlements. Having a right to another man's wealth is not one of them. I'm a big believer and supporter of a capitalist society. I also believe that every person should have an equal chance to earn wealth, not accept wealth.

Furthermore, lots of government agencies could be seen as socialist in nature...even the United States Postal Service, which is an example of a nationalized business. Also, education, welfare, medicaid, etc., are forms of state control of capital. But, that's neither here nor there. I just think with all the lingo that's being thrown around the media, it's important that we understand the definitions, just a little bit. So, ultimately, do I think Obama is a socialist? No. Does he get a little too inclined to share for my comfort? Yes. I am admittedly a selfish Republican. Is he evil? I don't think so.

Since nobody likes to read a 1,500 word blog post, I'll end now. But come back for a discussion on the economy. And don't worry, we'll get to McCain, too...

Answer me this

2008-10-30T07:08:00.003-05:00

So, it's getting pretty close to the election and I have two serious questions to ask. Can anybody answer them for me?

1. How does Obama have enough experience for the White House?

2. How is Obama not, at the very least, a borderline socialist?

It's not wise to take away accountability for individual actions, nor is it fair. But if you look at several of his policies (especially in regard to the economy), that's what he does. The Democrats gave Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac free reign with no accountability, and here we are, $700 billion later. The bailout plan was a horrible decision that was all but forced on us, but where was the accountability for corporate suits who mismanaged the economy into the ground? On the other hand, we make less than $200,000 a year (What?! I know, we live like kings, don't we?!) and a tax break would be nice. But holding companies accountable for their actions would be nicer. Do you think he'll do both. Puh-lease!

And seriously, if you have an answer to either of those questions, let me know. They were asked in good faith.

St. Louis pics

2008-10-25T12:05:00.004-05:00

Strapped in for the park.

I love this picture. Olivia would not stop talking long enough to smile and Izzy was totally listening to what she was saying. Which makes me wonder, what WAS she saying?

Olivia LOVED this. It helped her solidify her walking skills, which she uses freely now. Thanks, Izzy, for helping her walk better!

I didn't really get very many pictures while Olivia and I were at Tracy's. But, here are some that I did get. If you want to see more, check out Tracy's blog (it's the Big T link on my right sidebar).

Relief! Kind of...

2008-10-25T09:37:00.001-05:00

It's over! He finished it. He has no clue how he did. We won't know for another eight weeks. A new kind of nervousness sets in...

Good luck, Aubrey!

2008-10-24T06:29:00.003-05:00

Aubrey is taking his surveyor's license exam today in Birmingham and I am SO nervous! If he doesn't pass this time, he can take it in the spring. Apparently, it's not uncommon to have to take it twice. It's an open-book test (he took, like, 12books with him plus a dictionary) that covers math (you can program equations into your calculator), history and survey law. He'll start the test around 8 a.m. and finish it around 4 or 5 p.m., so it's pretty long. If he passes, it means that he's licensed as a surveyor in the state of Alabama. That means he can sign off on maps, etc., that are filed at the court house. Right now, he does the work and the survey manager at work plants the signature. It also means he'll have more authority at work and a pay raise. I'm so nervous for him! Good luck, Aubrey!

Oh, I should explain how surveying works: You have to have a degree in surveying (you used to not need one) and then work for six years (it's different in every state) before you take the license exam. You also have to have experience in different areas of surveying, such as boundry (when they determine property lines) or construction surveying (when they determine where everything from curbs to gas lines will go). You also have to take a licensed surveyor in training exam, which Aubrey took while we were living in Nebraska. I guess this is like the pre-test to the licensure exam. He passed that on his first try, so maybe he'll do the same with this test.

A friendly vacation

2008-10-21T09:13:00.002-05:00

Well, Olivia and I went to St. Louis last week to see one of my best friends, Tracy. She's had a bummer of a fall, so we went to cheer her up. I hope it helped! I say that we went to spread some sunshine, but the fact is this was a much-needed trip for me and I came home feeling much better than I did when I left. I was in need of a good friend, and she's one of the best. We had a really good time walking around the old downtown of St. Charles. There are a ton of great shops, and I always have to shop when I'm with Tracy. It's the only time I really enjoy it. I found a flea market that I really liked and a super nice baby store. It was a good way to spend a fall day. We also played at the park, which Olivia loved. She usually goes for the swings, but this time she was all about the slide. She even went down by herself...she's such a big girl! We also stenciled and painted flowers in Izzy's room, which is something Tracy has been putting off. We didn't get all the way finished before I had to go, so I hope she gets it done! We really enjoyed talking and remembering the good ol' days. I think we cheered each other up. Even our girls got along, for the most part. Overall, Izzy did a good job of sharing her toys with a me-centered one-year-old. I do have some pictures, but I'll have to post them later. I haven't downloaded them and my camera is upstairs where Olivia is trying to nap. Thanks for letting us come up, Tracy!

Courtney, this is for you!

2008-10-11T11:39:00.001-05:00

[ SEE THIS VIDEO ON TWILIGHTERSANONYMOUS.COM - FIRST SITE TO PUBLISH IT ]

The advantages of being bi-lingual

2008-10-07T10:32:00.002-05:00

I have to share this with the rest of you. I was just on my cousin's blog and read the funniest thing. She has a young daughter who, evidently, has learned some Spanish from the great Dora. Here is what she's learned:

Uno. Ghost. Trace. Nacho.

Maybe you don't think it's funny, but I died laughing. Seriously. My side hurts now.

Finished!

2008-10-06T14:32:00.002-05:00

Well, I started reading "Breaking Dawn" on Saturday and I just finished it. I have to say that I have been a Jacob fan from day one (the only thing drawing me back to Edward being his breath and rock-hard abs), but I love how this book ended. A very good read! I won't say anything more just in case someone reads this who hasn't read the book...even though I'm, like, the last person on earth to finish it. Now I can go back to getting a good night's sleep and keeping a clean(er) house. I am, however, left frustrated knowing that I could never write a novel like that.

Finally!

2008-10-04T19:39:00.002-05:00

I finally opened it this afternoon. I'll let you know when I'm done.

New season, new attitude

2008-10-02T14:29:00.002-05:00

This was our house in Nebraska. I loved our fall landscape there!

I love fall! It is sooo refreshing after a long, hot, sweltering summer. (One could also say the same thing about spring after a rainy, cool, bleak winter). Mother Nature is on the move and watching her many changes take place always changes my attitude. I manage to stay busier, motivated and cheerier during autumn months. I've also made changes to the blog, though I'm not too sure about that header. Too big? Let me know, and be honest. Also, I've changed my playlist to include some of my favorite jazz music. This is by no means comprehensive, but it's a good representation. I always listen to jazz in the fall. My favorite way...in an evening bubble bath with the lights off and candles lit. It's the perfect way to slow down. Happy Fall!

Just a brief word...

2008-09-29T09:08:00.002-05:00

ROLL TIDE!!!
Alabama 41, Georgia 30

Might I just add that this "little" victory has put us squarely at #2. Choke on that NCAA.

Me an' me maties!

2008-09-24T09:29:00.002-05:00

So, this is why I will never grow old! My cousins and I have been posing like this for 20 years!

Best Friends

2008-09-22T14:16:00.002-05:00

I just visited the blog of one of my dearest friends and was so overcome with emotion (due to a rather sudden increase of hormones) that I had to post. I think that every blogger who visits this page will be able to relate.

There is always a time in your life when things just kind of stink. You're just walking along, whistling a little tune, when out of no where you stub your toe on a little rock, scrape your knee and fall headlong into the mucky business of living. It's happened to all of us, and so it happened to me almost a decade ago. The pain was acute, and sometimes I still feel it. But, just when I thought all hope was lost, enter three beautiful women with a tree trunk to pull me out.

Never could a girl ask for truer, more devoted friends then these three. Never. I love them like they're part of me, and so they are. We have our own lives now, and I rarely see them. But when we get together, it's as if we were never apart. These women are completely different from one another, each having strong characteristics that set them apart. And at the moment I thought hope was gone, they swooped in and saved me--each of them in her own way. I would be living a life quite different than the one I have now if they had not intervened. I never would have married my husband, rediscovered my sense of humor or been inspired to write again without them.

And now, they are still incredible and I look up to them more than they can ever know. They are superb mothers, resilient in the face of sorrow and strife. They are loving wives, who show by example what it means for two hearts to be one. They are determined and intelligent, influencing the lives around them through stories, charitable work and support. They are faithful and show me what it is to be a daughter of God. Don't ask me their faults, they are greatly outweighed by virtue.

I can only hope that you, dear readers, have friends like that. Forgive my narrative, but it had to be told. I have other friends, who are just as appreciated, but these three will always have a special corner of my heart.

A Woman's Place

2008-09-19T09:07:00.007-05:00

I'd like to start out this post by saying that I believe a woman's place is in the house. And in the Senate. And in the governor's mansion. And in the White House, should Providence see it that way. A woman's place is anywhere she dadgum well wants it to be. End of discussion.

The fact that Gov. Palin has five children, a special needs child and a pregnant, unwed teenager doesn't really concern me at all when it comes to her run for VP. It's nobody's business--your's, mine or the media's--how she handles her family business. It's an honor to be selected as a running-mate and as long as she has the support of her family, more power to her. If I don't vote for the McCain-Palin ticket, it won't be because she's a woman and ought to spend more time at home. It will be because I don't agree with her on abortion or Iraq (though she speaks very well and very intelligently on both subjects.)

If women kept their talents hidden at home (although, it's important for a woman to fill her home with those talents) the world would, indeed, be a dreary place. Women have a unique ability to change the world around them for the better. The problem is, I think, that the world so often changes women. The world needs leaders who are truthful, compassionate, gentle and kind while standing up solidly for all that is good and decent. It is absolutely imperative that a woman be involved in her community, whether it's with the PTA, mayor's office or Capitol Hill. What the world does not need are so-called feminists who are mere shadows of what being feminine is all about. I think we need to make that distinction.

I hoped for quite some time to have a political career. In fact, until my senior year of college, my goals were to that end. The reasons for deciding on that career path and deciding against it are my own and, ironically, centered around me being a woman. That's not to say that I have shut those aspirations down completely. I am still active in my community and when my children are school-age plan to make a run for the school board, then city council. That will be enough for me. I don't have to be a Senator in Washington to promote change around me.

Is there a difference between what women can do and what they should do? You bet your homemade chocolate-chip cookies there is. But what that difference is for the individual, I can't say.* I was taught from childhood to marry in my religion, and I did. But what about Esther, who is revered for her faith and piety? She married a heathen...with more than one wife even! Was she wrong? How do you judge her? She saved an entire nation and was very much favored by the Lord. It doesn't serve well for any of us to be a judge.

I'm so fed up with the media and other women; they can be so catty. So, you worry about you, I'll worry about me, and Gov. Palin can worry about Gov. Palin. It's all of our responsibility to make a difference in this world. I'm sorry, car pool lanes and play groups simply aren't enough. For good or bad, the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. If you want it to be your hand, you better get it in there.

*The only exception I make to this rule is pro wrestling, stripping and prostitution. No woman belongs in any of those. Though, we are very good at them.

Beach Bums

2008-09-16T11:09:00.005-05:00

That misty look is sand blowing. It stung you're legs.

Aubrey and Olivia

The sea was angry that day, my friends.

I love this picture. It's Aubrey's sister Beth and her son Ty. Where they're walking in the water, it is usually beach. You can see in the background how far the water came up.

Olivia playing in one of the little pools that had formed at the top of the beach.

She looks so small in this picture!

We got back from the beach yesterday re-energized, refreshed and ready for real life. We got there Thursday, just as Ike was closing in on Texas. The waves were HUGE and there was water all over the beach. You could tell that it had been right up to the fences in front of the condos because there were pools of water (probably close to a foot deep) and other debris at the top of the beach. We couldn't go in the water, obviously, but the kids loved splashing in the little pools of ocean. The wind was really gusty and literally pelted us with sand. I feel like my legs got a good exfoliation treatment. Friday and Saturday the wind died down just enough for us to play on the beach, but not enough to really get in the water. We stood at the edge and let the tide lap at our feet, but we had to be really careful not to go out too far. The water was swift and would have carried the kiddies off with no problem. At night the wind got worse. It was so loud and dragged around our patio furniture. Sunday was a lot better and the water was almost back to normal, although the double red flags were still up when we left Monday morning. Olivia had a blast, as usual, playing in the sand, laying in the sand and chasing sea gulls. The last one is a new hobby and was hilarious to watch. One seagull led her all over the beach, letting her get within three feet before he hopped away. Good times!