Hoopla!

Spring break lends the young boys opportunity to use their imaginations.

(notice the graffiti on the fence...the Easter Bunny won't be
delivering chalk to them anymore)

(no progress on the garden...tomorrow is the day)
There is an unwritten rule in the realm of boydom (made up word) that all good things must end in a DOG PILE.

To the not so little guy...

who broke his collarbone and broke my coccyx 3 years ago today.

Happy Birthday Baden!

And he's been screaming ever since.


Birthday wishes?
A rocket ship
An airplane
A helicopter

I'll have the run down tomorrow of what he'll really get.
Because, well, I haven't gotten anything yet.

No Foolin'

Prepare to be amazed...

April Fools?

This cracks me up.

Really?

Lately

I've been pondering this article.

I love this part:

There is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today, and to live most fully today, we must do that which is of greatest importance. Let us not procrastinate those things which matter most.

Today, I'm going to write down what things matter most and place the list where I will see it often so I will have a reminder when things that matter least come seeping through.

Try it too.

A Happy Easter!

In other news:

• Brian told Chandler he could quit piano when he memorizes all the hymns in hymnbook. "That's not bad," he said. He must have forgotten that I told him he could quit when he knows how to play all the hymns.
  
• After opening up all his eggs from the hunt on Saturday, Carson said [with obvious disappointment] "I don't know why everyone likes jelly beans!" Not enough chocolate in his eggs I guess.
  
• "I don't love you mom, I only love dad." That's what Baden tells me in a matter-of-fact way at least 10 times a day. What's the psychology behind that?
• I've been M.I.A. the last week because my favorite one-year-old daughter, does not, in fact, enjoy teething especially when it's her molars. In spite of this, Kate has graduated from the army crawl to all fours this past week. Cause for celebration indeed.
  
• I am happy today because a. the sun is shining b. there is no wind c. my mom invited us over for dinner tonight so I don't have to cook.
• Our first ever family garden is under way. Brian has torn out the grass and cornered it off with railroad ties. Anyone need 250 sq. ft of sod?

Green Day

Once upon a St. Patrick's Day we went to Chicago where they go all out and die the Chicago River green.

(Then we went on a really cool architectural tour on the river through the city.

Highly recommend it if you ever find yourself in heart of Chicago.)

10 Easy Steps

This is what you do when your oldest son gets home from school and soon after that you hear him yelling from upstairs that "the toilet isn't flushing!"



First, you run upstairs and assess the situation.


Second, you yell to your husband to get the plunger.


Third, you hear your husband's verbal frustrations [he keeps it clean] as he is unable to get the toilet to "plunge."


Fourth, you see your husband run outside.


Fifth, you see your husband run inside with a snake he borrowed from the neighbor. [Not a real snake, a plumbing snake. Guess you've never had this problem before.]


Sixth, you hear more of husband's verbal frustrations because the snake isn't helping. Then you hear oldest son telling his sweating and upset father that he forgot to tell us that youngest brother flushed a yellow ball down the toilet last night.


Seventh, you try and calm your husband down. You remind him that one time he tried to flush a roll of toilet paper when he was little, and we have been through worse.


Eighth, you decide to call in the experts.

Ninth, you wait 30 minutes for the plumber to show up, then watch as he pulls out his snake with a thing on the end that grabs objects lodged in toilets, goes upstairs for 1.4 minutes, takes care of aforementioned yellow ball and gives you an invoice for $97.00.

Tenth, you hear a calmer husband rehearse with the young offender that he is never at any time to flush anything like that in the toilet ever again, on top of that he adds that the plumber's services are in fact his birthday present next month.

Always Watching

I frequently question Chandler about the friends he plays with at school: do they use good language? are they kind and respectful? etc... you know the drill.

Yesterday, he accompanied me to his parent/teacher conference. The radio was on faintly in the background as we drove to the school. One of the men used an expression, violating the 3rd Commandment. I heard it, but ignored it. At that point I should have turned it off, but I didn't. About 30 seconds later, from the backseat, Chandler said, "Mom, I don't think you should be listening to this station." I knew why, but I asked anyway, "Why?" And he made me proud and ashamed at the same time when he said, "Because that man took the Lord's name in vain." At that point, I turned off the radio like I should have done in the first place.

Always watching.

Miscellaneous

[appropriate miscellaneous picture I thought]

• I made my first call into talk radio on Tuesday. Wonder what show it was? It may surprise you. It's a local show called, The Locker Room. Not normally something I listen to, but it was on. I didn't realize I was on air until I hung up my cell phone and heard the last part of the conversation [delayed by a few seconds apparently]. Wonder what caused me to call a local sports show? The guy commented that "Mormons and Catholics hate each other." I had to set him straight on his incorrect statement. He said I didn't know anything. "Well," I said "We are Mormon and my husband went to Notre Dame for his grad degree and all the Mormons and Catholics were friends so I don't think you should be making such generalizations on air." [Isn't that right Megan, Emily and Keri?] So there you have it, don't believe everything you hear on the radio. [you already knew that didn't you?]


• My kids ate corn dogs for dinner tonight. Before that they ate 1 [or more] chocolate chip cookies. The parents ate fried rice, and since it had vegetables that were larger than a grain of rice people younger than 6 ¾ wouldn't touch it.


• We switched up our workouts this week and I can hardly walk up and down the stairs. Isn't it funny that you feel skinnier when you are sore? Or is that just me?


• Why do my children like to play in the front yard instead of the larger and fenced backyard?


• I love, love, love it when complete strangers say [disapprovingly], "my, my you have your hands full." And I say, "yes I do," with a smile "and there is one more at school." {GASP!} But then the woman at TJMaxx today said, "Thank goodness there are women like you!" So there is a compliment to all you mothers…


• The little lady turns 1 tomorrow. We will celebrate with pizza, [because it is Friday] fruit and cupcakes. You are all invited [just kidding].


• I had Carson step on the mat at Target to see what size his feet were. Well, I think I've discovered why the little boy was getting ingrown toenails. His shoes were a little too small [just like 2 ½ sizes]. What? He never complained!


• This week I sent Chandler to school with money -$6- to revamp the lunch account. When I picked him up at school that afternoon he was wearing a Dr. Seuss hat [$5] and had a book [$1]. I was planning on recycling last year's hat. Little stinker.
• Baden is still Baden. Intense. Demanding. Manipulative. Funny.

Discouraging

Sunday, March 9

You know what that means don't you?

No more conning the kids into thinking that it's time for bed when it's only 6:30 pm.

What will I ever do?

Friday-post-lunch-break-down-solution

Have a few minutes to spare?

Check out this new site.

I Need to be Patient

The Baden grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was almost three years old, and he ran all around the house and terrorized all who lived there. He pulled all of the toys off the shelf at Target. He grabbed all the candy at the checkout stand and he tested his mother's nerves by crying and whining and refusing to take naps. Everyday the mother would say, "This kid is driving me CRAZY."
But at night time, when that almost three-year-old was finally quiet, she opened the door to his room, walked across the floor, looked upon his motionless face; and if he was really asleep she kissed him on the cheek. And while she looked at him she thought:

I need to be patient,
I must endure this well,
For all too quickly my
Baden will be grown.

Air Andrew

Meet Andrew, my youngest brother, otherwise known as the "golden child." [He knows it too.] I don't think he's ever done anything wrong in his life, well, except for that Sunday afternoon a couple of years ago when he and a cousin snuck away on bikes to check out the local landslide, and even then I think the blame was placed on the cousin for taking Andrew's better judgment away for a period of time.

Andrew plays basketball. However, his season just ended on Friday night. The whole way home from his game for over an hour, my parents talked about him as though we had just attended his funeral. I'm pretty sure they've never talked about me for such a lengthy period of time or with the same exuberant praise. Can you guess who encouraged me to do a post on Andrew? I'll give you a clue, it wasn't Andrew.

Before every game Andrew watches some movie from Michael Jordan's glory days to get pumped up.

Here he is, pumping up the team before tip-off. [wearing the purple warm-ups]

He's a good sport. Except for this time [it really was a bad call.]

He has a good shot too. [He actually missed this one, but he made some others, I just didn't catch it in time.]

He goes for the rebounds. He's plays defense with a smile. When they grow up, my boys want to be "just like" Andrew and I sure hope they do.

I Love a Man in Uniform

[I doubt he would have posed if he knew I'd be publishing this picture on my blog. He should have known better.]

It's ok, I laugh too, every time he leaves the house in uniform. Well, technically he's not wearing the "scout socks," [shhh, don't tell] but he wants to get some. And I can't take the credit for sewing on the patches because his mom did it. He didn't like the results of my Velcro job.

Enjoy the weekend. I will… scout's honor.

The Search Is Over

A cupcake apron for Miss Kate's 1st birthday. Perfecto!

Photo Courtesy of : EvelynKate

Wisdom

“In today’s world, children will need not only a devoted mother and father, but they will need each of us to protect, teach, and love them. … Personal obedience and example in every part of our lives are the ultimate gospel lessons for children. So study, learn, and apply the gospel.”

~Margaret S. Lifferth, first counselor in the Primary general presidency

[“Behold Your Little Ones,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2006, 74–75]

Sometimes I read something and it hits me

like a ton of bricks because it's just what I need.

This quote was one of those somethings.

4 Years Ago

before surgery at 17 months old;

after a successful 7 hour surgery,

a blood transfusion,

and lots of morphine.

4 days later and ready to go home

with a cool scar to prove his ordeal!Only to go back to the hospital 4 days later with swelling complications and come back with a blue head wrap that gave him lots of attention for the next 4 weeks.
4 years later we are still thankful for the miracle he's seizure free, smart and oh so cute!

Sleeping Beauty

Miss Kate, before I had to wake her from a peaceful slumber so we could go to church.

Sunday Dinner 101

My boys are meat and potatoes kind of kids. My grandma taught me these time-saving tips which are a lifesaver for hunrgy boys on Sunday afternoons.

If you do this on Saturday:

*Make sure to refrigerate the potatoes, carrots and roast*

• Cover the carrots with water after they are sliced.
• If you want a green salad wash and tear the greens on Saturday as well. Or have your guests bring a salad.
• Dessert? Make it ahead, or keep it simple with ice cream.
• You need rolls with your Sunday dinner? After you roll them out cover with foil and freeze them. Before you leave for church, take off the foil and set them out. When you get home they will be ready to bake.

Then you only have to do this on Sunday:

BEFORE CHURCH

• Set the table.
• Put the roast in the oven 5 hours before you will eat at 350 degrees [without the lid], then turn the oven down to 250 degrees and put the lid on.
  

AFTER CHURCH

• Empty some of the water from the pot of potatoes and add salt. Cook.
• Same goes for the carrots.
• Delegate someone to make the ice water.
• Turn off the oven. Take the roast out of the oven and put it in another dish. Cover with foil.
• Make the gravy.
• Mash the potatoes.

Did I cover it all?

Fireplace Fixture

Valentine's Day News

[2nd grade]

I remember checking out each valentine carefully and inspecting the included conversation heart I received from each "boy" for crush clues. Wild imagination. Now that I have boys I know the truth. They scribble their name and recipient's name and pay absolutely NO attention to the message on the valentine. Silly girls.

First, the bad news. I disovered yesterday that a mouse trap in the garage was void of peanut butter. And the darn thing didn't go off. For those of you who really know me, know that this makes me CRAAAAAZY! I hope cupid shoots it with one of those arrows of his, real soon.

Now to the good news. Well, it's not good news to you, (except for those joining us for dinner this evening) but I am going to be emerging from the: I-don't-know-what-to-cook-for-dinner-I'm-so-sick-of-winter, cocoon to prepare our annual dinner of love. Personal preference around here is to enjoy a dinner free of reservations, waits, and tips.

What's on the menu?

Roasted Chicken

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Honey-Glazed Carrots

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Rolls with Orange Glaze

(warm)Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream

Have a LOVEly day.

A "True Love" Story

My grandparents in 1954

Little did they know how their family would grow:

9 children

48 grandchildren [soon to be 50]

11 great-grandchildren [and counting]

Mr and Mrs C. spent the early years of their marriage

working side by side as they built, tilled, and planted.

Grandma remembers a gift she received one year:

An aluminum measuring cup and salt & pepper shakers.

Sure it wasn't much, but it meant "he had thought of me."

Thoughtful Simple Useful

"You never know what the future holds," she told me,

"be frugal."

Indeed, words to live by.

50 Years Later

My grandparents in 2004

[grandpa died later that year]

I don't have many years of experience,

but I do know from observation

that the gifts of

Service Kindness Love

are what matter most.

And those my friends are priceless.

Savor

I like that word. And I've decided to do more of it.
[ Not my food, but my life. ]

I'm going to SAVOR:

• the bouncing ball and the flying football [in the house].
• the 6 little feet racing around the kitchen.
• reading "one" more book.
• cleaning up toothpaste residue on the bathroom counter.
• discovering holes in knees of jeans.
• toys littering the floor.
• artwork scattered across the table.
• snacktime before bed.
• listening to sincere child prayers.
• chaotic family home evenings.
• finding missing socks.
• family scripture study.
• "encouraging" piano practice.
• catching little boys jumping on beds.
• Cheerios on the floor.
• paper airplanes flying.
• fingerprints on the windows.
• the I love yous.

Savor the moment.

Sink or Swim?

Figuratively speaking we all want to swim, or at least keep our head above water. Why is it so hard to do sometimes? I've been thinking a lot lately about balance and trying to keep from sinking. I thought about some of my "flotation devices" so to speak that keep me afloat. Nothing groundbreaking of course, but sometimes I forget that I have access to these, or what a powerful, yet simple tool they can be.

• This magazine: February's issue has taught me, edified me, and strengthened me. Goldmine. That's all I will say.


• Exercise: I've started rolling out of my electric blanket warm bed @ 4:30 two mornings a week to meet a friend at the gym to lift some iron. The other days (most of the time) I run.


• Church: Sundays are often a juggling act and to remember what I heard is...hard. But, I always try and remember one thing to take away from the meeting, if I can write it down, that's a bonus. It might be an impression, something I need to work on, or a topic I need to study more. When I do this I leave from the 3 hour block with something to carry me through the week.


• Timeout: What momma doesn't need a timeout? I sure I do. Some weeks I need more than one!


• Prayer: I read this scripture the other day. He wants to help me with this. Do I try and do things the hard way sometimes? Yes. So I am working on doing better at this.


• Friends: Some are related, some are old, some are new, but they all are just what I need.


• Scripture Study: I have had a more meaningful and a more inspired scripture study the last 6 months as I have kept a scripture journal. I remember more of what I'm reading and learning and would say I notice more. This has added a whole new dimension to personal application of the scriptures. It took me way to long to start this!

Keep swimming! What keeps you "afloat"?

Listen, Listen

Have you ever noticed something around your house that could potentially be dangerous, and thought that you should put it somewhere else, but dismissed the PROMPTING and thought, "Oh, it's fine."? Me too. Then I learned my lesson.

Once upon a time, there was a mother who was putting some clothes away in her little boys' closet. She noticed that at the top of the closet there was a can of paint. She had been working tirelessly off and on for a couple of months painting baseboards white. She was still not done so the can of paint was at the top of the closet for easy access. The thought, or rather prompting, came to her that she ought to take that can of paint from the very top of that closet and store it in the garage just in case an adventureous son attempted to retrieve it. "It's fine," she thought, "they'd never do such a thing."

A week later this mother was downstairs nursing her 8 week old baby and talking on the phone to a friend while her 4 year old and 2 1/2 year old sons played in their room. Earlier in the day, they had rigged up a slide using their mattress and were having a very fun time. She had snapped a picture of it because she thought it was very creative. Afterall, there isn't much else to do in Arizona during the summer. So she let them have their fun.

The little boys' bedroom was above the family room where the mother was talking on the phone. She remembers thinking "they are being so loud, they must really be having fun, maybe I should go check on them." So after a few minutes she set the baby down and went upstairs. She went to open the door, and it was locked. She could hear laughing, as she knocked for them to open. Since they didn't open it she got a key and opened it for herself. What she saw was quite horrifying and shocking. In fact, she was in such shock that she laughed. The 2 1/2 year old was on top of a dresser, head to toe in white paint. At that moment the 4 year old was sliding down the mattress also drenched in white paint. Apparently the paint aided in the speed of sliding. She absorbed what had happened and quickly called her mother before she did something she might later regret, if you know what I mean. Her mom advised her to stick them in a tub. The damage was more than she thought. Not only was the paint in their room, but they had gone into her bedroom and added their own artistic touches to her headboard and footboard and brand spankin' new duvet cover. Their father would be returning home shortly, so the mother thought it best if she prepped him for what awaited him upon his arrival home. Paint and tears, that's what. The end.





I wish now I would have taken pictures of them and everything else after I found them, but I just couldn't. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I cried for 2 weeks following this episode. I remember this experience every day because while painting my bed, one of them left a handprint on my Book of Mormon. It's my reminder to listen to the Spirit. Whenever I dismiss a prompting to do something because "that would never happen," I think, "yes it will!" So that's the lesson for this Thursday. Listen and just do it!

Whenever I start to feel like I'm in the ocean and waves are crashing upon me as I'm trying to reach for shore and I can't seem to catch a break, I remember the day back in May of '05 when I really couldn't catch a break and I say to myself, "Self, life is good."

My Info

Miss Mattie said I was it.

Where were you born? Provo, UT
What is my middle name? -------
What is my nickname? Tash (tosh)
How old are you? 29 (Seriously)
Do you cry in movies? It's been known to happen.
Favorite color? Pink
Favorite food? I like a good salad. (as if anyone likes a bad salad)
Favorite beverage? Water
Favorite cold cereal? Whatever contains 8 grams of fiber or more.
Favorite smell? Grapefruit
How many pillows do you sleep with? Currently, one
Do you play an instrument? Piano
What was the last movie you saw in the movie theater? National Treasure II
What is my favorite clothing? Swimsuit. (Just kidding) Whatever is the newest in the closet.
What is your dream vacation? Priest Lake every summer @ my grandparent's cabin.
If you were an animal what would you be? I wouldn't be anything. I'm a people person.
Favorite me time? End cap shopping at Target.
What is the best piece of advice you've learned? Do a job great or small, do it right or not at all and not at all is NOT an option. (I can hear my dad saying it now. We'd perk up after 'not at all' and quickly hang our head when he said 'NOT an option'. My kids do the same thing.) This is why I think that the kitchen sink should be rinsed and scrubbed after doing the dishes.

Pulling my heartstrings lately

She'll be one next month. (sniff, sniff)



******************************************************************************
It was 9:37 at night and Chandler pulls the "Can I write in my journal?" line. Of course I can't say no! I loved what he wrote. (all by himself)



Translation:
President Hinckley died at 7 pm at age 97 at home. He was the best prophet I've ever seen. But I have never seen him in person. I only seen him on BYU television and pictures. Now President Monson took Hinckley's spot.

The Iron Man

I commisioned The Iron Man to make me this. What would you like?