By the Numbers

10 years ago -- We were living in Maple Valley. Scott was working for Boeing. Ryan was 1-1/2 months old & nicknamed "Cryin' Ryan" because he was not the happiest baby on the block. Christopher was in preschool a few days a week (in Renton) so we drove 25" each direction for dropoff & pickup (& Ryan cried a lot of that time). When Chris was home he was 100% addicted to the computer. I was totally & utterly overwhelmed.

9 daily uses -- the van, my gym membership, shower, dishwasher, cell phone, computer, black socks in the winter & sandals in the summer, scriptures, & my debit card. (... shouldn't my day planner be included in this list???)

8 things on my to-do list -- read 10 informational books for Kiddie Lit & write little blurbs about each one , hang up most of my clothes, find new church clothes for kids, talk to Paris Mountain about service project, make care packages for missionaries we know, find the top of my desk, send birthday cards for my two sisters & Scott's brother for Thursday, & watch No Reservations because it was due last Friday. (These are the first eight off the top of my head -- there are a million more random to-dos.)

7 places that I have lived -- Park City, Midvale, Provo/Orem, & SLC, Renton, Maple Valley, & Greenville.

6 things I enjoy -- Lieu's Spicy Chicken, coming home after T&T have cleaned my house, children playing happily together, date night with my husband, helping kids find books at the library, talking to my friends on the phone.

5 facts you might not know about me -- I blush when I hear the word jock strap. I try to plan what's for dinner by 10a; if I don't figure it out before lunch, it's bad news at 5p. I can't stand having any cupboard doors left open; even if I am at someone else's house, I have to close the doors. When I go shoe shopping it takes forever because my feet are ultra-sensitive princess & the pea-style feet. I yell at people when I am driving all the time.

4 jobs I have had -- bank teller, carpet store accountant/orderer, picture framer, algebra tutor. (I have only had 6 months worth of full time employment in my whole life!)

3 bad habits -- throwing my clothes in a basket to hang up later, playing on the computer way too much, eating the whole box of Girl Scout cookies before anyone else knows we ordered them.

2 books I last finished -- Three Cups of Tea and Charlie & the Chocolate Factory. ... and probably six other novels last month and innumerable children's books for Kiddie Lit.

1 favorite -- spending time on the beach.

The Hinckley Challenge

Somewhere off surfing the web I read about the Hinckley Challenge. I think I read that over 30,000 people have already signed up. President Hinckley was the prophet for a long, long time & in honor of his recent death, a challenge was given to read the Book of Mormon in 97 days (one day for each of his 97 years). I am taking the challenge (and I must confess that I am 46.6 pages behind!!!). I have started listening to the Book of Mormon as I drive around town. In one day I made swift progress -- probably 30 pages! If I counted pure reading-with-my-eyes reading then I would probably not finish, but if I can read with my ears, I think I can finish!

One of my life-regrets is not completing the challenge to read a few years ago given in October conference. I feel like this is my time to make up for lost time.

Happy weekend!

Tag... What are YOU doing right now?

From my sister's blog http://cardsbyjen.blogspot.com I was tagged by virtue of reading her blog.

Eek... I am sitting killing time at the computer in my scrapbook room where the printer works. You see, although I am 41-years-old MY science fair project is due tomorrow so I am printing & reprinting, making all of the details perfect. There must be some mistake because usually 14-year-olds have science fair projects. And how FAIR is that???????? Really, Chris' project is due tomorrow & I am the one nominated to help him. pictures coming soon???

I have already checked email downstairs at the messy desk & paid a few bills (The car is still in driveway & the electricity still on). I went to the library & checked out some poetry books & Miss Spitfire (about Helen Keller) & Skinny Bones for Children's Literature. I am currently trying to read two novels a week & take notes like crazy so I can finish by May 2nd.

I am deciding whether or not to open my SILHOUETTE that I bought with my Christmas ca$h. It's a lot of $ but it would sure make science fair project titles quick & easy.

I am dressed in my workout clothes because I had to go to physical therapy for my shoulder today. My nice PT Craig told me that I will gradually get stronger but that unfortunately I am going to fight this for the REST OF MY LIFE!!!!!!??? How did this happen to me?

I am looking at my Autumn Leaves calendar & trying to figure out what exactly to scrap on a soccer-themed page when we mostly don't play soccer.

I am thinking about Bonnie & wondering where in the world she is right now. (On the way home from Italy via London perhaps?)

I am looking at the clock & thinking that 7:15 is too early to go to bed... but just barely!!!

How about you? What are you doing right now? Consider yourself tagged!!! Your life has got to be infinitely more interesting than mine today.

Famous last words...

Just last night as I was falling asleep, I was overwhelmed with a feeling of gratitude. I thought to myself, "Self, we have not been really sick this year!!! We are so lucky! I wonder if we can make it three more winter months???" Well, we all know what happens when we think such bad thoughts...

Luckily, I went to bed hours earlier than usual. Why? Because at 11:30 Jared yelled, "I am going to throw up!!!" and then he did several times (exactly 3 sessions). We made him a bed on the floor by the toilet near our bedroom so we could hear & assist.

Then, at 2:30 Ryan joined the barf festival upstairs in his bathroom. Scott went upstairs with Ryan & I stayed down with Jared. (I feel just a little bit guilty because Jared didn't throw up any more after Ryan started so Scott got the biggest dose of barfing.) Ryan threw up a total of eight or nine times. (If I asked him, he could tell me the exact number. After each session, he adds one to the tally & says, "Eight!" or whatever is next.)

I will spare you the pictures... and Gesundheit! (I wish you good health!)

Random musings

This morning was the Terrific Kid celebration at the elementary school. Ryan was picked as the Terrific Kid for his class for the whole term!!! Very proud parents here. He got to get an Arby's bag with a bumper sticker, pencil, badge, sticker, etc. and FOUR doughnuts. (Luckily, we'll miss the sugar buzz while he's in class.) [pictures coming soon]

Report cards came last week & Christopher was picked for the honor roll. The last paragraph on the letter was kinda cheesy -- "We hope you will maintain your interest in school, preserve your hard work, & continue to enjoy academic success -- because at Mauldin Middle, we 'EXPECT THE BEST!' from our students." Seriously though, we are really excited that Chris has figured it out & is doing his homework & getting good grades. [picture coming soon] He is also working at getting his Eagle -- he just needs to decide on a project & wait for the time requirement.

While at Terrific Kids I ran into one of Chris' friend's mom. Back in October, her husband had a massive heart attack & died in front of her. I wanted to call but never felt like I knew what to say so I just (mistakenly) said nothing. To her she felt like I just didn't care. I cried for days & felt so horribly for her & her 3 children, but I never called. Next time, next friend, next chance -- I promise I will call... or hug... or just say something. She is not bitter or anything but I wish that I would have called earlier.

And finally, my shoulder is killing me! (So I am sitting at the computer keyboard typing... go figure.) I went to physical therapy yesterday & while trying to figure out what was wrong, everything got irritated. Here's hoping for better days ahead (or at least good pain killers).

Happy Birthday Ryan!

Ryan turned 10 today. Wednesday is not the luckiest birthday day in the world -- piano, cub scouts, & boy scouts suck up our afternoons. Finally, at 9:35 he opened presents & blew out the candles.

Ryan is sweet, funny, & smart. He is the most helpful kid around the house -- probably in the world! His teachers love him & everyone wants to be his friend. I am lucky to be his mom.

Birthday pictures coming soon!

My desk on any given day

True confession -- My desk is always messy -- ALWAYS! Usually I know the general x-y coordinates of where a given document is located. But lately things have been crawling away into dark reaches where I can't find them. My goal on any given day is to have the pile shorter than the monitor so I can still check out my email. ;)

For today (and probably today only) the surface is mostly cleared -- this picture was taken back in November -- I brought in a table from the garage & unloaded everything onto a bigger surfact. I can breathe again for a few days.

Bucket List

Okay, the movie is supposed to be great but we haven't had a chance to see it yet. My friend Kathy Arp from Samoa posed the hypothetical question -- what 5 to 10 things would be on your must-do list if you knew you were going to die soon?

Scott & I have made 100 Life to-dos before but this made me stop & think again. And I wrote my list several days ago & I would maybe modify some of the items already.

Mine?
1. See my kids grow up happy.
2. Go to Europe with my husband for a month.
3. Graduate from BYU with my bachelor's degree. (29 credits left & counting!)
4. Be published in a good scrapbook magazine.
5. Lose 40 pounds & look great in a bathing suit on the beach.
6. Serve a mission with my husband.
7. Spend a week on the beach with my family. (Or how about Hawaii?)
8. See a Broadway play.
9. Run a 5K, 10K, & half marathon.
10. Go to the Sacred Grove.

Snow day -- part 2!

Wet soggy coats, socks, shoes, & pajamas are piled in a heap by the back door but the kids are happy! I didn't venture outside soon enough to get Jared's picture playing in the snow but hopefully he'll try again. I am just barely sorry that I am not a build a snowman mom. I hurt my shoulder at the gym about 10 days ago & it is NOT getting better.

Ryan & Chris played with neighbor boys Varun & Michael making giant snowballs into a fort.

Sounds like a perfect day to make soup, homemade bread, chocolate chip cookies, & hot chocolate. Goodbye diet & hello comfort foods. ;)

Snow!!!

It's snowing in Greenville! Now if you are someone who is lucky enough to live in the land of frequent snows, then 2-4" possible may not be that impressive. But we don't even get snow every year so it's a big deal.

I am pretty sure that the schools are already planning on being closed. In fact, (don't tell!) I let my kids stay up until 10 p.m. watching MythBusters. (It was the Bond segment -- how could I say no?) If you'll notice, Jared is asleep on our bed, Ryan is passed out under the blue star blanket on the floor, & Chris & Scott are the only ones watching the final stunt.

Notice the real-live snowflakes in Scott's hair! He just got back from refereeing three games.

Funny Jared-isms & Mexican pizza recipe

Jared has a really cute & funny way of looking at the world right now. When we are reading the scriptures as a family, we read a line from the Book of Mormon & then he recites it back. He interprets the words in some really funny ways -- nothing that I can pin down but Chris & I spend reading time smiling at each other about the cute things Jared says.

On Sunday, Jared came & climbed into bed with Scott after his nap. Ryan came downstairs & said, "I got Jared out of bed by telling him a story: 'Come on! Let's get ready for school!'" Jared thought for a second and then said, "That's not telling a story! That's lying!!!" Out of the mouths of babes.

Even better was today's funny. Today was a teacher workday so the kids didn't have school. Chris decided to make Coffee Cake (with butternut squash puree from Deceptively Delicious). He cut the stem off of the squash, put foil on a cookie sheet, & roasted the squash for about 45 minutes. During the entire process Chris had been talking about coffee cake & how great it was going to taste. (Jared was in the other room playing Backyard Baseball on the computer.) When the timer went off, Jared hurriedly ran into the kitchen to see the masterpiece come out of the oven. We put the squash on the counter & Jared exclaimed, "That's not a cake?!!" In the end the kids loved the cake laced with squash much more than the adults.

Oh yea, one more tidbit of fun: We made Mexican pizzas for lunch. Take 1/2 pound of ground turkey breast & 3 T taco seasoning & saute until cooked. Add a can of stewed tomatoes & 1 cup chopped onion & cook until the liquid is gone. Meanwhile, put a stoneware bar pan in the oven at 450 to preheat with four 6-inch tortillas evenly spaced. (I used fresh tortillas from Bloom.) Place 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture on each tortilla, sprinkle with Mexican cheese & olives (very optional at our house), & brown for ? 15 minutes. The tortillas baked up hard like chips & the turkey mixture tasted perfect. I added a spinach salad & an orange to the side & had a happy tummy for hours.

Conner, one of our YSAs, is left the MTC for Argentina today. (Update: His visa didn't arrive so he has to wait a while longer!) He will be a great missionary -- he worked really hard before he left with the Spanish-speaking elders in our ward. (Elders Mason & Martin speak Spanish & work in Mauldin. Elders Carlson & Hall work in Simpsonville.) I was thinking last night at the fireside that the YSA look a lot younger than we do, but I remember feeling just about the same grown-up-ness when we were newly married as I do now. I just have lost a little idealism & gained a bunch of life experience (that has too often resembled junior high!).

After Christmas lake house trip -- aren't they awesome???

A new MasterCraft boat for Christmas made for some great photo-ops at the lake over Christmas break. I had a blast taking pictures of Tanner & Spencer doing tricks.

Cute acapella song thanks to miss-mary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8

Fall Happenings

We went to Atlanta when the boys were out of school for a day. We saw IKEA & the Atlanta Aquarium. It was really spectacular.

The drive down was mostly uneventful. We need to start bringing an empty Gatorade bottle when we drive long distances. We were in the far left lane of SEVEN lanes of traffic & I wasn't about to change lanes that many times...

The fish were HUGE & swimming in the biggest tank I had ever seen. We loved the sharks, the sting rays, and the beluga whales. We walked through everything twice. Oh yea, the penguins were super cute & interactive as well.

We were so lucky to be able to go to the YSA temple trip in October. Lori T kept our boys (& thanked us & made us feel great for going!). The temple is such a special place to be -- so glad to be able to go & feel that sort of peace.

We came back & quickly went to the chili cook off/trunk or treat at the church.

On the day before Halloween Jared's class went pumpkin and apple picking. The kindergartners were SOOO cute & funny. The little boy in yellow stuck his finger in Jared's ear in the other shot. ;) Too stinkin' cute!

30" Thursday LO

Lain Ehmann has fun 30-minute layout challenges on Thursdays on her ScrapHappy blog. I did this LO quick - no perfectionism allowed when the clock is ticking!

Chris had a blast with the science fair. We gathered data at the church by shooting marshmallows through a gun that was pressurized by a tire pump. Lucky kid has an engineering mind & dad.

Scrapping & my desk shows it!

I have been taking a class at NYC scraps that posts a new layout every 48 hours AND doing a project for the upcoming Fiskateers round-up. My huge L-shaped desk is beginning to look neglected. It's probably time to slow down the scissors for a few minutes to tidy things up.

I'm taking a new class at NYCscraps!

I earned money tutoring algebra a few weeks ago (first $ in over 5 years!) and spent it on a new class at http://www.nycscraps.com/ -- the class is wonderful. Great handouts. A supportive message board. Super sketches. Every 48 hours a new lesson is posted & in theory you complete a new layout. I have done 3 LOs in 5 days -- a new record for me.

The kids are out of school today & we're just hanging around the house so far. Maybe we'll go to the Atlanta aquarium sometime over the break, but not today.

Congratulations Holly & Adam!

So happy to find out that my friend Holly & her husband are having a baby boy. I was looking for pictures of my crib & found some really cute pictures of baby Jared a few years ago. I thought I would share. (Quicker than sending email too!)

September happenings

So the kids are all in school & I have SEVEN hours a day. The house is still messy. Dinner still doesn't always make it to the table. Life is pretty much the same. I guess it just goes to show that SOMEDAY never comes. New skills & habits are the way to changes -- now or when the kids all go to school. I do have a few Independent Study college classes hanging over my head with some pretty tight deadlines -- time to get to work!

Jared loves kindergarten (& his teacher is WONDERFUL). Ryan is loving 4th grade & happily celebrated a Because of Winn-Dixie party yesterday with egg-salad sandwiches (Ewwwwwwww!). Chris is loving 8th grade & finished multiple assignments in the last few days & is turning them in !!! This picture is our traditional first day of school shot.

I have been going to the gym EVERY day. I feel better & I am hoping that eventually all this hard work is going to kick in. Scott comes to classes when work & baseball allow & the kids play in KidFit (the big gym).

Work is going great for Scott. Every a.m. interested parties assemble in the parking lot to fly RC airplanes. It's quite a hobby & it keeps morale up.

Jared climbs the rock wall at the gym & knows no fear. He about tipped upside down the other day (in his harness) & I was nervous for a few minutes. The guys that run the ropes are great -- and their names echo our kids' names. Funny. Jared's two little buddies came over the other night to play & I played with my new toy & took pics of the kids jumping off of our bouldering wall. Ryan had a blast playing camera games & doing Spider Man jumps, time-lapsed falls, & basketball slam dunks. These were my favs.

Most recent trip to Florida

We just returned from a quick trip to Florida. Scott helped Brandon & Bret work on their lake house. They left before 7 a.m. on Thursday & Friday & then worked very, very hard until late in the afternoon both days. The boys & I hung out with Nette & Mikan, swimming & going to the beach. It was a nice change of pace.

The beach was lovely. We went on the 4th of July to D's beach. Then we tried going to Mickler's on the 6th of July but found that the tide was up & there were way too many people. I don't know if there was even one spot for a chair within 200 yards of the boardwalk. We immediately packed up & went back to D's beach again & had the beach to ourselves. It rained for about 10" but it wasn't cold so we just stayed.

Someone always gets hurt. This time it was Christopher & Jared. On the night before we left, Chris ran his toe into the fireplace hearth & broke it. (purple, ouch) Then, he was doing the Nestea-plunge into the neighbor's pool in Florida & scraped up the front of his shin. Jared was scootering barefoot on the yard out front & scraped up his toe, foot, and knee. Ryan didn't get hurt (this time).

This picture makes me wonder where all the time has gone. The kids have definitely grown since the last time I took one of these 3-in-a-row shots. Christopher has a definite man-voice, is taller than his mom, & needs a new pair of church pants every five minutes. Ryan is fun-loving, playful, & a great big brother to Jared. And Jared is going to kindergarten in a little over a month.

On the way back from Florida, we went to Atlanta & saw Mike & Katia get married in the temple (in Spanish). It was fun to be in the temple with friends & to see these two start their new life together. Scott has been Mike's home teacher for several years & worked with him in the YM's presidency as well. Congratulations!