Robin's Ramblings

The Dreaded Day has Arrived

2012-01-23T22:02:00.001-07:00

I knew that it was too good to be true. I knew it wouldn't last. I told myself not to get excited. I said, "Don't expect too much." I tried very hard not to. I found myself walking with a bit of a joyful lilt into buildings. I smiled into the sky each time I exited and took a breath of fresh air just because I could. But, today it all ended. Instead of a lilt, I walked with shuffle. Instead of breathing the warmish air, my nostrils froze with each breath. Instead of ballet flats without socks, I wore boots. And, I am a pretty much disappointed - just as I said I wouldn't be.

Curse you stupid snow!!!!!

On the bright side, it is beautiful out there right now with the street lights reflecting off the freshly fallen and brilliantly white snow. Gotta love that.

Life is Good - And this snow has made someone, somewhere, very happy. I'm happy for them!

Lessons of 2011 and What's Ahead in 2012

2012-01-02T21:16:00.002-07:00

I missed what was to be my last post of 2011 and it is time for my first post of 2012 and so I will combine them both today. It is amazing to me how time has begun to go so much faster. The first twenty years of my life seemed so S..L..O..W. Even looking back on memories now everything seems to be in slow-motion. The next twenty plus years has whizzed by so fast that it is just a blur. I'll sometimes be reminded of events that happened and think "wasn't that just four years ago?" only to find it it was more like fifteen years. I don't know if it's because I am getting older or if its because I'm getting busier. And speaking of busier, I always thought that when your children outgrew the little stage then life would slow down a bit. Oh, I was so wrong. Nothing is going slowly at this point. Anyway, in honor of the past year I present the Lessons of 2011 (in no particular order).

1. Teenagers are hard and I can do hard things!

2. South Fremont will always have a disadvantage when it comes to softball because all practices are held in the gym or the parking lot until three-fourths of the season is over. Then, practices will be held on the field but only if the players have gone out to shovel the remaining snow away.

3. Raising a boy is probably less mentally exhausting than raising girls.

4. Speaking in church and other meetings isn't all that bad.

5. I LOVE Girls Camp! (Even in snow and rain.)

6. Even if it's time for the chickadees to leave the nest, the momma is still going to cry.

7. Old-ladies still need BFFs.

8. I truly have the best husband in the whole-wide world - probably in the universe. You can all be jealous.

9. Sundays are my favorite days of the week.

10. Trent and I were both very blessed to be raised in "normal" families.

11. I love my wild, crazy, busy, often loud, sometimes frustrating, happy, chaotic wonderful life.

Now for 2012. Here are Twelve Things I Plan to Do. I don't want to call them resolutions. These are just things I'm going to get done.

1. I'm going to ENJOY the RIDE.

2. I'm going to go on another epic hike somewhere. Amethyst Lake was so beautiful that I want to find another place just like it.

3. I will read the Book of Mormon at least 5 minutes each day. Some days it will be more but any spotted dog can read five minutes.

4. I will become a wonderful bread maker. I've always wanted to be one but I kept telling myself that my mixer wasn't big enough and I didn't have the patience to knead by hand. Well, now I have a BOSCH mixer and can't use that excuse anymore and I won't!

5. I'm going to deactivate my FACEBOOK account. I don't have time for that. Besides, I found PINTEREST and that is taking up my FACEBOOK time. (Just did this today.)

6. I'll become a bit more of a crafter. Trent's totally all over this. hahaha

7. I'm going to increase in patience. This will make everyone around me happier.

8. I want to learn about Family History and get involved in it. This is so overwhelming that just thinking of it makes me begin to sweat. We have a great Family History Center here in town with wonderfully kind people ready to help me. I'll go visit there.

9. I'll attend the temple at least once a month. In the summer it becomes once a week with my lady friends.

10. I will repaint all the trim in our house. Every wall has been repainted, at least once, but because I hate painting trim I just haven't done it. We have lived here for nearly twelve years and it is WAY overdue.

11. Though I plant a garden every year, nothing really comes out of it. I'm going to study about gardening and become a better gardener.

12. I'm going to kayak a TON more than I did in 2011.

I'm so excited for what lies ahead in this year. We have some big changes coming in our family - mission, dating girls, high school only kids, etc. Sounds like fun!!!

Life is Good - and I'm happy to be riding into another year.

Influences

2011-12-23T07:53:00.000-07:00

This week I've been thinking about the people who had an influence in my life when I was little (like birth through elementary school). I think back and I was surrounded by good people who wanted to build me and help me become a better person. As I pondered on these people, I realized just how much of who I am stems from how I was treated by them. I am so grateful that I was born into my world with my people. So, here is a list of the people and places that have influenced my life, in no particular order:

1. My parents, Ted and Carol Erikson. They are good people who have worked hard their whole lives and never complained about it. I really credit my "Pollyanna"ish attitude to them. My house was a happy one with happy people. They helped me learn the value of work and I've never been afraid of working. They also quietly taught me that I can do anything but never pushed me into anything. They let me experience the consequences of my choices - good and bad. I could go on and on but this would be WAY too long.

2. My grandparents, George and Gloy Messick and Bob and Elma Erikson. I LOVED them. I LOVED to be with them. I LOVED to talk with them. My Grandpa Messick worked a million jobs while I was little. However, he didn't complain. He just slept when he could. I loved working with him. I learned that work can be very difficult yet fun with him. Grandma Messick taught me pull taffy (which I could still do if I wanted) and to quilt (which I could also do if I needed to). My Grandpa and Grandma Erikson loved me. I knew it and I always felt very safe there. That is how all children should feel by their grandparents and mine will because of them.

3. Rexburg, Idaho. Rexburg was a safe place for me. I walked with my aunts to town to buy candy at V1 so often. I sat on the edge of the window and held on as my mom drove from my grandparents' houses to ours. We rode our bikes to school, once a year, without an adult. We walked to Primary through Porter Park. We played in our front yard as kids on Highway 33. NEVER did I feel unsafe. Rexburg was just a good place. People watched out for you too. Like one day when I left school, at lunch, and walked next door to Arctic Circle and one of my grandma's friends saw me and then later told my mom. I knew people were watching me so I tried to make good choices.

4. My teachers. I LOVED Washington Elementary. I'm a teacher because of my teachers - well not all of them. But, they all made me feel that school was a good place. Never did I want to stay home from school. I LOVED Miss Jones. She taught me Spanish and the Ukelele and challenged me to write to a million, which is a lot of numbers. Mrs. Hill, my very favorite teacher in the whole world, made me love reading. Not, that I enjoyed it through high school when I was forced to read certain books, but the kind of reading you do for fun on a squishy pillow in the reading corner. She is the main reason I teach. I thanked her for her influence about four months ago. She didn't remember me so much but I remember her positively and that is all that matters.

5. My good friends - Kristy Siepert, Shannon Hardy, Marilyn and Marlene Erikson, Ruby Ward, Lucy Barzee, Jenny Williams, Cindy Westwood, Hiedi Sullivan and Connie Ricks. We had so much fun together. It was all good fun. All but one of us lived in the same Ward. I guess you could say we did everything together - school and church. I bet my parents never worried about me when I was with them because we were all just good. We influenced each other to be that way. That's what good friends are for. I still love them all even though I have lost contact with most - outside of Facebook.

6. My mom's Ladies. My mom is a beautician with a shop in her house. Each week the same ladies came to get their hair done. They were like grandmas to me. Many have passed on but even when I was older I found myself drawn into mom's shop to sit with them and talk. I remember several of them cuddling me in their arms while they sat under the dryer chair or letting me read a book to them while their perms were processing. Sometimes they'd even bring me little Christmas gifts. They probably loved me (and my sisters) as much as I loved them and I bet they didn't know how much a part of my life they were. I couldn't wait for Fridays and Saturdays to see Ila McBride, Gen Smith, Doralee Thomason, Sister Bills (a teacher that let me check papers on the floor while her hair dried), Carma Ricks, Ardella Freeman, Aunt Mae and Aunt Blanche, and so many more. They were so good to my mom, too. Not all her ladies were, but these ladies were.

7. My sisters - Wendy, Cristy, and Vicki. I LOVE them. They are my best friends and that's the way sisters should be. I loved playing house, school, and barbies with them when I was little. Before all of us became teenagers, I don't think we fought much. We were just good friends and accepted each other as we were. I just remember liking to be with them and never feeling lonely. They are all good women and mommies now.

I wish that all children could experience my childhood. And as a child, I thought they did. But, unfortunately, I now know that they don't. I've been so saddened to learn of the environments that my students come from. I try very hard to be positive in EVERY situation in my classroom because I am sure that there is someone in my room who does not feel safe, comfortable, and loved when they leave school. I hope that I am and want to be an influence in their lives like all those people were in mine.

Life is Good - and I am SO blessed.

I Love Christmas

2011-12-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

This year I took a different approach to the decorations at our house. I did it in stages over a 5 day period. It was so much less stressful. One day was the tree. One day putting on decorations. Another day the wreaths and garland. Then the next two days were spent spreading out all the rest of the stuff. I had plenty of time to think things through. It looks so much more festive. I'll try to do it that way again next year.

We decorated gingerbread men for the tree. That was going to be a lot of fun until everyone had A LOT of homework that made it impossible for them to decorate with me. I ran out of ideas very quickly but managed to decorate about 30 various sized men. They look cute on the tree. Maybe next year someone will be available to join in the fun.

While we were at Thanksgiving, Trent's mom and dad gave us all an early Christmas gift. We received a Temple Square Christmas Village. It is beautiful! Adri and I had seen it in a magazine and loved it. We wanted it but figured this wasn't the time of my life to purchase it. And then, our wishes came true and we now have one next to the tree. LOVE it!!!! Thanks Mom and DAD.

Tomorrow I begin teaching origami to 28 second graders. I'd better get to bed. I'm going to need my patience.

Life is Good.

Why I Love it So

2011-11-17T08:41:00.002-07:00

This week, in school, I have been giving a math test to each student. It is an interesting test that is supposed to tell us how students will perform in math in the coming years. It requires students to think beyond what they have been taught and use strategies to solve various types of problems. Most of the questions are difficult for the students but with some thought, many of them come up with the correct answer. The test can be administered by aides or by the teacher. Since I currently have a "Teacher-Candidate" (as BYU-I calls them) I have been able to give the test. It is one on one and takes about 15 minutes per student. I have learned so much by watching them test.

Two particular questions have stumped most of the students. (Since it is a state test I would NEVER use the actual problems, so the numbers have been changed to protect the identity of the original numbers.) So one problem went like this: "Are both sides equal?" and the problem looked like this 44+35=43+36. Most of the students said, "No!" One student said, "Mrs. Grant, I don't even know what the heck the word equals means!" I just laughed and laughed. Another problem was "What should I add to the blank so that each side has the same amount?" It looked like this 23+4=___+5. One of the students thought about the problem FOREVER. Then she answered "Well it has to be 27 and that 5 is just WEIRD!" Again I laughed and laughed. I love these kids.

Teaching about the equal sign is so important. We'll start that when I begin teaching again.

Life is Good - especially in this 2nd grade room.

Chicago - Yes Again!

2011-11-06T19:47:00.000-07:00

Now you may think, "Didn't you just post about Chicago last November?" and I will answer, "Yes I did." And again, Trent and I have gone to Chicago. Actually we went in October but it has taken me this long to remember my username and password to blog about it. Trent and I had a marvelous time. If you haven't been to Chicago just for fun then you oughta go. It is a great place.

We just happened to land on a very rainy day. We took the "L" into the city and luck would have it that one of the stops on our line was having a fire and so we had to transfer. We opted to take a bus to another line. The bus was so crowded and I don't think anyone was appreciating our luggage. Forever long later and a million conversations in foreign languages overheard, we arrived at the Red Line and got to our hotel. It was a perfect location.

For two days the weather was horrid. Winds were so strong that boats in the harbors were dashed to bits, skycrapers were closed, trees were knocked down, streets were closed, and people were asked to stay inside. We couldn't stay inside so we made the best of it by going to the Broadway production of Mary Poppins and The Blue Man Group. They were both AWESOME!!!! I could totally get hooked on Broadway shows.

Trent then had two days of a conference and I was left alone to fend for myself. I survived and learned to read a bus schedule and train route. I took a lot of pictures and did a lot of window shopping. I touched my first $600+ pair of shoes (purple Kate Spade) and looked at my first $2300 pair of shoes. I bought neither. I moseyed on over to Payless and bought a more comfy pair of shoes than the ones I was wearing. I also walked into hair salon and got my hair cut because I was having a bad hair day. And finally, I took a kayaking architectural tour.

As always, I was ready to come back but Trent wasn't. So, the offer is open - Anyone want to go with him? He'll leave tomorrow.

Making the most of a yucky day at the Picaso.

Normally the waves don't crash over the breakers. This was after the terrible storm.

Looking toward the northeast from the Willis Tower Observation Deck.

Trent demonstrating how cold it is out at Navy Pier.

Me - freezing. Stopped to buy gloves earlier. Sweatshirt right after.

Looking straight down from the Willis Tower. Kinda freaky!

This is one of my favorite shots of Chicago - from Millennium Park.

I can't even explain this. 108 headless giants walking. Hmm?

Famous Chicago Theater sign. Love this theater district.

The Bean or Cloud Gate , as it is officially named. LOVED IT!!! Lots of smiles here.

These are some pictures from my kayaking trip. The water was disgusting. Thank goodness there was no possibility of falling out. I bet just touching that water could cause cancer or burn your skin off.

This is Trent's dream home. He'd love to live in one of these.

This was the largest barge I have ever seen. It was making its way to the Mississippi.

Isn't that a lovely view. Never see that while kayaking our rivers.

Two sand barges being pushed along by the tug. We had to wait for it. Very SLOW!

My guide. He kayaks everyday all year long. Jealous? Sorta.

I love this building. It is curved just like the river.

If I put every picture in that I took then this blog would be so long. I had such a good time with Trent. I'm glad he shares his love of this city with me. Thanks Buddy!

Life is Good - even in Chicago.

Harvest Creations

2011-10-07T21:37:00.000-06:00

Harvest break and and inch of snow on the ground has made me feel crafty. Actually, the craftiness was brought on by a desire to cover the windows so I didn't have to look out at the snow. I miss the 80 degree weather we had last week. I couldn't think of anything socially acceptable for covering windows so I decided that small decorations would have to do. While the girls cooked spudnuts (Idaho donuts) with the cousins and Grandma I made a wreath, ghosts, and bows for the neices' hair. Good times.

These ghosts are made out of a styrofoam cone, gauze, and added gadgets. I think the skinny one needs a mouth. I'll do that tonight.

Turn sideways to get the correct view. My neices and nephews helped design it. We had a great time. And it looks very Halloweeny.

Life is Good - and a craft day here and there is kinda fun.

Time with the Girls

2011-10-06T08:50:00.000-06:00

As I continue my catching up posts, I throw this one in, messing up the order of things, because we had such a good time. One nice thing about Harvest Break is that we all seem to be under the weather with some kind of crud that we got from school. The two week break gives us a chance to get over it all. Since no one was feeling great, and it was rainy, we spent time in the kitchen together. McKenna needed a salad for a team dinner, Katy needed cookies for her soccer game, and we just happened to have pink cupcakes that needed frosted. We laughed and talked and had a marvelous time. We'd do it again, except, we really don't need that much junk food around. Today has brought more rain and will bring more time together and so more fun, fun, fun.


Aren't these cute?

Pink frosting, pink mint wafers (Pepto tablets would have worked even better but didn't seem right), smushed strawberry Starburts, and black frosting were all that was needed. We tried different tails but couldn't make it look right.

I also wanted to post THE BEST chocolate cookie recipe ever. My friend, Toni, gave me this recipe. It was her mom's recipe and she had gotten it from the Parker School cafeteria. We LOVE it. They stay soft and are even wonderful right out of the freezer. Try them and let me know what you think.

GRANDMA BONNIE HAWKES' FAMOUS YUMMY COOKIES

4 cups DARK brown sugar (must be dark)

1 1/4 cups butter (don't use margarine)

6 eggs

6 cups flour (I usually have to add 1/2 to 3/4 cups more)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

3 tsp vanilla

coconut (I use about 1 cup)

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I use the whole package. The more chocolate, the better.)

Cream sugar and butter. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and slowly add to sugar mix. Add coconut and chocolate chips. Bake 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Life is Good - and kitchens are a great place to build memories.

Family Kayaking Day

2011-10-05T07:58:00.000-06:00

Now that school has started, I'm so behind on my blogging. During this Harvest Break I'm going to get caught up on many things - blogging, cleaning, and playing. First up. Family Kayak Day. After I took my friends with me one day, they decided that we should all go again but with our families. So we did. And we had a blast. A couple of mishaps, a cave exploration, dead deer carcasses, and delicious food just added to the fun. This could become an annual tradition. I hope it does.

Twelve kayakers and one rafter made their way down the Warm River run toward Ashton. Most had never kayaked before and survived. Poor Shaunna was suffering from a very freaky bruise that had taken a horrible turn needing a constant wound pump. Not wanting to be left behind, we fitted her with a raft that worked perfectly.

The three big boys all tough and stuff. Big Dakota fell out many times and then was very exhausted for football practice after. It was worth it though.

Taking a break to dump the kayaks after going through the rapids. This is also a great place to take a swim in the water or climb some rocks.

Karen Ili and Lia. Karen purchased two kayaks this year and went a million times. So glad. I always need more kayaking buddies.

My buddy Shaunna in her comfy raft. She got pretty good at the paddles. Next year, for sure, she'll be taking the a kayak.

Life is Good - Good friends make it even better.

Girls Day

2011-09-19T20:24:00.000-06:00

We have been so blessed with good friends in our children's lives. In August I was able to spend a day with the twins and their friends and their moms in West Yellowstone. We had a great time.We wandered a bit, ate dinner, and went to the Playmill to see "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat." LOVE the Playmill!!!Especially LOVE "Joseph" (and most of all the "Joseph" with Donny Osmond). What a great time we had and so much fun with those girls of mine. As the kids get older it is becoming more and more difficult to share moments with them. So, this was a treasured blessing. Thanks for arranging it Taina.

Western Ladies - Ashlyn Kaufman, Shailee Gardner, Adri, Katy, Peyton Crapo, and Micheala Hill. This is the only time I've ever seen them with serious faces.

This is what they normally look like. Yippee for Christmas stores.

Apparently this is the sign for "Hot Guy". Good to know!

I ate my willpower, too. So, I had to buy a pound of delicious fudge. Then I went to the Playmill where I bought more of Heidi's fudge. I LOVE fudge.

Life is Good - and time with these twins is valuable!

Family Reunion - Wilderness Style

2011-08-19T07:46:00.000-06:00

Ok, it wasn't really wilderness and its not like its a real reunion because to me a reunion is with people you don't see very often. We see the Grant family often (although more times would be better). I think it was more of a vacation. All the Charles Grant Family traveled to Christmas Meadows, Utah the last week of July. Do you know where Christmas Meadows is? We didn't either but we do now and I think it is a wonderful place. It is about 30 miles south of Evanston, Wyoming , in the Uinta mountains.

Our family decided to take a leisurely drive. After a few stops, expected (dropping the dog off and buying goofy glasses at the party store) and unexpected (lack of air at every gas station needed to fill our low tire and then the valve breaking so the tire became completely flat but finding a place to get it filled) we were on our way. We drove along Palisades Reservoir (which is full - don't remember seeing it full EVER) then into beautiful Star Valley, Wyoming. Then we went back into Idaho and around the shores of Bear Lake (very full too and a lovely place to vacation, in case you were wondering). Into Utah where I'm pretty sure only 6 families live then back into Wyoming and to Evanston (the only "largish" Wyoming city we haven't been to) and then finally back into Utah finally reaching our destination about 5 1/2 hours later. It was beautiful and we had a wonderful time in the car together.


Bear River Lodge

Playing The Ball game

One of our favorite activities is "The Ball Game". Years ago, Grandma discovered this game and it has since been handed down to Aunt Tracie to make the ball. It consists of 2 large pair of long socks, one die, a ball made of money, toys, candy, and a lot of streamer paper, and finally a whole lot of yelling and laughing. It has become quite a tradition.

Tanner attempting to walk on water.

Grandma enjoyed the pool too. Check out those awesome shades.

A whole lot of swimming was going on. We played games like "Marco Polo", "Tag", and "Try to Run Fast Enough To Walk on Water". All were equally fun. But the game of "Splash Most of the Water Out of the Pool" seems to be most popular.

Sweat and Mud. Proof that the bikes were well used.

Grandma and Me down at the ponds.

Other activities included mountain biking along the ATV trails and fishing at the ponds. I learned how to fly fish! I was so excited. It is something I've always wanted to know. I like the idea of not having to touch worms. However, my form is terrible. Occasionally I had a good cast. More practice would probably help. I can see myself standing in the Madison River in Yellowstone Park in my waders casting my line at 10 and 2. That would be awesome. (Whoa, that was way off the topic. Sorry.)

Posing before the ride and the mud flew.

Rinsing off mud or Making more mud?

One day, Grandpa and Grandma rented several ATVs and the kids didn't waste a single minute of time. They explored miles and miles of trails. When they arrived, after the final ride, the only clean parts of their bodies were under their helmets. They were mud from head to toe. Apparently, the mud puddles were the most popular places. I missed this event because I was hiking to Amethyst Lake (previous post).

We enjoyed the talent show. Kendrick sang, representing Trisha's family - a real talent. Tracie had already shown great talent in constructing "The Ball". Kendall's family rehearsed a poem - "If" by Rudyard Kipling. And, the Trent Grants performed a couple of songs on the bells. I can't believe that we weren't asked to do an encore. How rude!

All the grandkids. Who knows when they will all be together again!

This really is one happy bunch of people.

We had a wonderful time with everyone. And, as always, we were sorry to see it come to an end. But we couldn't leave before we took a few pictures of the whole family. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa for the great memories. Sure love being with you!

Setting out on the road.

Trent left before the rest of us. He decided to bike from the lodge to Evanston, about 30 miles. We picked him up there. We got him a new shirt to change into and baby wipes to shower with. Wasn't that sweet? It was good preparation for his big bike ride coming up. (Post about that in September)

Life is Good - and time spent with family is prime!

Family Pics

2011-08-06T19:22:00.000-06:00

My family has never had a "real" family pictures taken. I finally decided to do it before Collin left for college and the snow fell. I asked Andrea Norman to do them. She is wonderful and she said she would make me look skinny. I highly doubt that can happen but I'll take whatever she can do. We had a great time. We even took our crazy glasses. Andrea loved that. I've decided that I have very handsome and beautiful kids. Not boasting - just stating facts. I love these people!

Life is Good - and family makes me complete.

Amethyst Lake Hike

2011-07-30T09:56:00.000-06:00

We had a great week attending the Grant Reunion near Christmas Meadows, Utah. Everyone was there - which may be the last time ever considering the older grandkids are moving on to college and preparing for missions. I'll blog about that fun time later. This entry is about my hike, with Kendall and Susan, to Amethyst Lake. As Collin would say, "I'm not gonna lie" it was hard. But, not being an avid hiker and getting out much, I thought it was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on. The book said it was a "moderate difficulty" hike. WHATEVER!!!!

The first three miles were quite pleasant. Considering that the water was still running from the melting snow, we had to cross several little creeks and streams. There was a lot of standing water and tons of mud. But the trail was quite rocky which allowed us to step rock to rock and keep our feet dry. We saw seven moose along the trail. They saw us too but didn't care. I assume they didn't take pictures of us. Quickly we made it to the fork where we headed off on the second phase of the hike. The HARD stuff lay ahead.

The wildflowers were amazing. These are monument plants and monkey heads, I think.

The muddy rocky trail.

One of the MANY creeks and steams we crossed.

A fork in the road and our trail sign.

The second half did not go as quickly as the first half. We literally climbed a mountain - straight up. No switch backs on this trail. The path was a a dried up creak bed, which was probably running with water two weeks ago. It was very difficult. I felt sorry for the two little girls climbing up with their dad as we were headed back. But, along the edge was a gorgeous "river" that we followed all the way. It tumbled down the mountain while we climbed up. You could hear it rumbling no matter where you were. Once at the top we discovered a beaultiful meadow with a cute meandering stream and a very beautiful turquoise lake called BR 24. It really does deserve a name. Because there was so much water we lost track of the trail. We could see it on the other side but couldn't cross to it. So, we had to go around the lake. The marsh prevented us from going all the way around and we began forging our own trail, hoping to find a lake somewhere up ahead. We climbed over and through a boulder field (and nearly eaten by a "snow snake" hahaha) and then finally reached our destination. Amethyst is a beautiful glacial lake that is FREEZING!!! It was a a delight to eat lunch on its banks.

The roaring river along the trail

Just one of the beautiful waterfalls we viewed alongside the trail


BR 24 - Such a sorry name for a beautiful place

The banks of Amethyst Lake where we ate lunch

The mountains we kept in sight just in case we never found the trail back


The boulder field we climbed over and where Kendall and I got scared by a "snow snake." hahahaha


Amethyst Lake

The hike back was just slightly better - minus the fact that I will probably lose my big toenail and my pinky toenails because of the pressure on them while climbing back down. We had some great laughs and a great time. Thanks Ken and Sus for letting tag along.

Sometimes I think that when the earth was created, God used his sense of humor on animals like moose, platypus, and blue footed boobies. But, his artistic period came when he created the Rocky Mountains. What a blessing it is to be able to live in them and to be able to explore them.

Life is Good - and the hidden treasures in the mountains are refreshing.

Sharing the Joys of Summer

2011-07-18T22:07:00.000-06:00

Thank goodness, a few years ago, my good friends shared their summer joys with me. A couple different friends DRAGGED me out to kayak down the river with them. I fell in love with it - like I've mentioned before. What I enjoy now, probably even more than the whitewater, is sharing my love for kayaking with others. My good friend, Karen, wanted to get a kayak for her birthday so that she could paddle around a couple lakes. I took her down the river and now she is HOOKED. She goes nearly every day. And, she now has two kayaks. (One just doesn't do it.) Another friend of ours, Shaunna, was very nervous about kayaking, but being the good sport that she is, tried it anyway. She fell out within the first 10 seconds. She got right back in, like a trooper, and now she is HOOKED. We have a big trip planned in a few weeks with all our families. Betcha she gets a couple for herself before then.

If you'd like to go, give me a call. I'm willing to share it with you, too.

Collin and his buddies. Ignore that they don't have life jackets on. The rule "No life jacket - No kayak" is now in full force.

Collin and buddies about to go under the Del Rio Bridge.

Shaunna - still smiling even after being tipped over.

Cook - He is so cool. His first time too.

Karen - Loving her new kayaks.

Life is Good - especially in a kayak.

Cave Falls

2011-07-12T09:01:00.000-06:00

A couple weeks ago we took a drive up to Cave Falls to see how high the water is because our swimming spot, lower down the river, is still so high that we can't swim yet (and may never this year). The falls are beautiful and the water is HIGH and FAST. Last year Kenna and I went for an afternoon. We walked out into the water and a father and son were fishing out in the center. I doubt anyone has ventured to the center this year. You won't catch me out there. But, the views are wonderful and the sound of the river is so relaxing! I could have stayed forever if it weren't for the GIANT mosquitoes that tried to eat us.

This is what it looks like this year.


Here is almost that same spot last year when Kenna and I visited.

Cave Falls. Wish you could hear it. It is AWESOME!

Looking up the Falls River. One of my very favorite places to be.

Churning water just above the main falls.

Life is Good - and have I ever mentioned how much I love this place I live?

The Pinch Hitter

2011-06-26T21:48:00.000-06:00

Don't ask. I have no clue who is who.

If you were to spend a couple days in our home you would be "privileged" to hear the sounds of sibling squabbles. Okay, it is no privilege. The older brother participates in a lot of teasing his younger sisters. I've been told this is fairly normal. I didn't have a brother so I have no knowledge of this. For the most part, I think that my sisters and I got along quite well. Sure, we argued occasionally but I don't think that I, being the eldest, was a big tormentor. (Sisters, you may not leave comments here.) But, there is one rivalry, in this house, that would be heard even above the brother/sisters thing. That is the somewhat constant banter between the twins. Aren't twins supposed to be best friends? Some say yes. Others say no - they spend way too much time together to be best friends. I've just been crossing my fingers in the hope that someday they will realize that they each have value and will love one another for their differences. Sometimes, if you could listen, you would wonder if that will ever happen. Seriously!

But today, something happened that instilled in me a brighter flame of this hope. Katy had been asked, about 6 weeks ago, to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting today. Two important things here - Katy can't say no very easily and Katy can't (doesn't like to) speak in front of people. She prepared a good talk on gratitude. She practiced and practiced. But, when she came to Sacrament Meeting she was terrified - crying and shaking. She couldn't go up. The counselor in the Bishopric said that he would wait until after the Sacrament and then I could nod my head for a yes she is doing it or a shake of the head for a no. It was apparent to all of us in the family that it was definitely a "NO". But, suddenly, that Adri, twin, fighting companion of Katy, and decliner of all previous talk inviations, took the talk. She read it over and said that she would do it for Katy. I nodded to the counselor and Adri went up. At first I thought she'd do it and no one (except close friends) would know that it was Adri and not Katy. But, sweet Adri explained the situation and how nervous Katy was. She said, "Katy got a bit of stage fright and so I will give her talk for her". She did a great job. But, the best moment of all was when we were home and Katy, with her swollen eyes from crying, hugged Adri and told her "Thanks!"

They may fight but really when it comes down to it, I think they love each other like crazy. I think they are going to be okay.

Life is Good - and full of sweet moments .

Oops! Did I Need That?

2011-06-19T07:39:00.002-06:00

Sometimes, once stupidity has been admitted, you can move on. I am hoping this is the case.

A few weeks ago, while cleaning up my files on my computer, I deleted, what seemed like an unnecessary and unused file. (Problem #1 - I don't have a clue what is necessary or used.) There was this cute icon that looked similar to a program that kept popping up on my start-up screen. It had been driving me crazy and I wanted to get rid of it. (Problem #2 - I shouldn't be looking at cute little icons at 6:00, while in bed, without my glasses. They all look cute.) Feeling very smart, and confident, in my adding and deleting program skills, I deleted it only to realize, seconds later and seconds too late, that I had just deleted the sound for my computer. I tried to reverse this process but it wouldn't let me stop it. Darn! Did you know that without that driver there is absolutely NO sound at all. Like, you can't hear the sounds to YouTube videos, home videos, or the webinars you are supposed to be watching NOW.

Immediately, I began trying to install a new one. How hard could that be? After many search helps I have discovered that it is very difficult. (Problem #3 - I know nothing about choosing a program.) I asked several questions online and got many answers back, some were even good, I suppose. But, I understand none of them. I might as well be trying to rebuild a nuclear power plant. But, I want to do it on my own. I don't want to take it to someone, who will charge me boku bucks to do the same thing I'm doing, just right. (Problem #4 - I'm a bit stubborn that way.) So, I'm trying a new approach. I'm admitting that I shouldn't have done that and that if I know NOTHING about computers then I shouldn't be messing around with them. Now let's get on with it! I just want a audio driver!!!!

Life is Good - just quiet.

I Don't Believe in Global Warming

2011-06-16T21:20:00.000-06:00

Spring visited a week ago. We only saw it for a couple days, but it was here. We are anxiously awaiting it's arrival again. Our garden is quite behind because of the cold. If I were a seed I'd stay in the ground because it is too cold to pop up. Tonight it is supposed to snow in Jackson Hole. Doesn't Mother Nature know that Summer is scheduled to be here in 6 days?

Just so I remember, I took a few pictures of the flowers and blossoms in our yard before they freeze. That could easily be tomorrow. Good luck little flowers.

Life is Good - but pretty chilly.

Memorial Day - The Beginning of Summer?

2011-05-30T20:44:00.001-06:00

Here is what Memorial Day looks and sounds like in St. Anthony. So glad I wasn't camping. Actually, I never camp so I wouldn't have been anyway.

This Memorial Day we decided to travel to Yellowstone Park where everyone goes to be free - people from all over the world. However, the animals forgot that they were free - no roaming wildlife anywhere. We did meet some people from Georgia who felt free to roam all over the west ... in their shorts. Poor people, it was 96 degrees when they left. It was 39 degrees and snowing when we chatted with them.

The kids found a great spot last year and were so excited to go there again. They call it "The Majestic Rocks of Awesomeness." I'm sure that's what Teddy Roosevelt was thinking when he came through the park.

Reaching great heights - Collin and McKenna

Katy making her way down


A little snowball fight between Dad and Adri

On the way back from the "Rocks" we got a great idea. We'll take pictures of various places in Yellowstone once each month between now (May) and October to see how it changes. Here are a couple of our choices.

Mount Haynes


Gibbon River at the entrance to Obsidian Cliffs trail (I think)

Life is Good - Even in the snow!

Collin Has Left the Building

2011-05-27T09:31:00.001-06:00

He made it and made it quite swimmingly, I might add. On May 25th, Collin graduated.He had so many fun activities this month as he made his grand exit. Here is a wrap up. First, he took his final trip with the band. They went to Disneyland to play inside the park and to participate in a big festival. They took 1st place in their category (doesn't matter that they were the only entry in that category, does it?) While there, the Wolf Pack, as they called themselves, kept themselves busy on rides, riding scooters (hidden in their suitcases), and smuggling gas masks onto the Tower of Terror.


Take notice of the "Wolf Pack" sign.

After 5 days on a bus and in the park, he returned to ready himself for the "Mr. SF" pageant. Highly competitive and extremely funny, this pageant is a total mockery of Junior Miss. But, the boys put in many hours of practice to learn the routines and then spend, maybe, 15 minutes on their talent. It was great fun to be there to watch. Collin won the talent portion. Click here to watch.

Contestant #11 Collin Grant "Because two 1s are better than 1'


Some of the "Men of the 80s"

Once all the pageantry was over, it was finals' time and then Seminary Graduation on Sunday. Monday morning began the senior sneak to Downata Hot Springs, shopping at the Layton Mall (blah), and a day in Lagoon. He had a great time. Wednesday was the big day.

The Graduated Man

The Class of 2011 - GO COUGARS!!!

CONGRATULATIONS my boy!!

Life is Good - and full of many opportunities.

Twins become Teens

2011-05-13T22:14:00.000-06:00

Honestly, there was a time that I didn't think the twins would make it to 13 years old. Then there was the time that I didn't think I would make it to the twins 13. However, we have all survived and these adorable, wonderful girls have made it to the teen years. So, to honor them, I now present:

THIRTEEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT ADRI

1. A feisty personality. That girl will stand her ground.
2. She covers her mouth when she can't control an enormous smile.
3. Giggle girl. Once she starts, she keeps going.
4. Fashionista. She needs rich parents that take her shopping at least weekly.
5. Long flowing BLONDE hair. Pretty jealous!
6. Reaching great heights. She is 5' 7" now and growing like a weed. (She has now passed me and she's only 13.)
7. Doesn't hide her feelings. You know where you stand with her.
8. Good friend. Her friends trust her like crazy.
9. Is comfortable in a disaster - her messy room doesn't bug her a bit.
10. Loves softball and volleyball - my two favorite sports. I'm a very willing and eager spectator.
11. She has a creative eye for photography.
12. Hilarious!!! She makes for good laughs - whether she's trying or not.
13. The only girly-girl in this house. I love that!

KATY'S GREAT THIRTEEN

Katy - taken by Adri

1. Funny, funny, funny!
2. She is her own person. She is going to dress how she wants, look how she wants, and do what she wants. It is a total waste of your time to dry to convince her otherwise.
3. Very kind to others.
4. Great babysitter.
5. Avid reader. She used to hate it because it was difficult. Not anymore!
6. She has beautiful handwriting.
7. Gives her mom and dad a hug and kiss every night and then says, "Goodnight. I love you!"
8. Loves to watch infomercials with me.
9. She is artsy and crafty.
10. Has a beautiful, heart warming smile.
11. Willing to play with the little girls that live next door. (They are 6 and 4.)
12. Always trying to make right choices.
13. Never takes a bad picture. She always looks great. (I'm jealous.)

Life is Good.

Circle of Life

2011-04-16T22:08:00.001-06:00

Sometimes you just have to do what seems ridiculous when you're in the doldrums.And, thank goodness, that is just what I did today. My dear friend, Laura, invited me to do a quick run down the river today to see the nesting birds. There are many geese that have built lovely homes and filled them with eggs, waiting to be hatched. Unfortunately, many of the nests are too low and when the river begins to run high, the eggs will be washed away. All part of the circle of life, I suppose.

We also saw several pelicans floating along, waiting for a fish to swim by. I was getting pictures when I scared the pelicans. They flew into the geese, who weren't happy. The geese flew away and landed near some ducks. They were all squawking. It was quite funny. Sorry, but I'm afraid I've disrupted the whole ecosystem of that stretch on the Henry's Fork. Maybe that's part of the circle of life, too. It was well worth it, though. I LOVE kayaking.

Life is Good especially on the river.

April Fools Day Fun

2011-04-01T17:32:00.001-06:00

Never been a big April Fools Day lover. Usually not enough time to put into the "fooling". But, I decided today we could have some fun with it. Since we had the day off it was perfect.With these cupcakes we could save time by serving dinner and dessert all in one. DELICIOUS!!! But, the cupcakes look so good we can't eat them. We just stare at them. Maybe they look a little too real and we can't possibly eat a meatball off of a cupcake. What do you think?

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy with a pat of Butter

Peas and Carrots

Meatball and Spaghetti

Life is Good - especially with a day off here and there.

We Seek After Good Things

2011-03-28T18:11:00.001-06:00

Like a Pilgrimage to Mecca, the twins, friends, and I voyaged to Utah for the annual Young Women's Broadcast. Each year thousands of beautiful girls drag their mothers to the Conference Center, Stake Centers, and Meeting Houses all over the world to listen to their spiritual leaders guide them on their journey on this earth. (OK, perhaps the mothers do the dragging.) But, there was no dragging in this house. This was an adventure with friends and their moms.We were seeking after good times and good memories - and flowers and green grass.

Adri, Katy, Grandma, and Grandpa. Those girls adore their Grandparents.

Tradition has it, in this house, that the first broadcast, after turning 12 years old, will be viewed live in the Conference Center. We rode with our friends, Taina and Shailee Gardner and Emilee and Peyton Crapo. We started the morning with volleyball games in Snake River and then headed to Red Lobster in Pocatello. (Don't you hate it when the thought of a restaurant is better than the actual food?) Then it was back on the road to Grandma and Grandpa Grant's house.

Waiting to begin. Pretty sweet seats!

I'm always in awe at the sheer size of this building. Yet, it is so easy to enjoy a meeting or production here.


Emilee Crapo, Katy, Adri, Me, Shailee and Taina Gardner. Peyton Crapo in the front.

Adorable girls ready and eager to head to In and Out.

Our seats were so close (compared to all the other times we've been inside the Conference Center) and we could actually see the speakers and all the leaders without having to watch the big screen. COOL!!! The girls loved it. I LOVED being there and experiencing that wonderfully spiritual meeting with them. I think we found some of what we were seeking.

Exhausted and ready for the lights to be turned out.

Afterwards we sought the delicious flavors of In and Out Burger in Centerville. Can you say CROWDED? I think nearly all 21,000 people at the broadcast had found their way to that one fast food joint. Are hamburgers sold anywhere else along the Wasatch Front? Being inside that place would lead you to think, "NO!" Good times, though.

Inside the Tabernacle. I think that the Sounds of Sunday is very fun to attend.

Still smiling but getting pretty sick of me taking pictures.

Inside the North Visitor's Center

"I love to see the temple. I'll go inside someday."

Loving our girls. These are four choice daughters of our Heavenly Father.

Next morning we were up bright and early seeking the sweet music at the Sounds of Sunday broadcast and a visit around Temple Square. (There are flowers AND green grass at this place!) I love that place. I really enjoy the Visitor's Centers and gazing at the temple. I especially enjoyed seeing my girls look upon the temple as a place they will be in not too many years.There aren't so many years left for me to enjoy these wonderful gorgeous girls. I hope I cherish them all.

Life is Good and full of things that are virtuous, lovely and of good report.

If You Give a Moose a Bush

2011-03-17T22:00:00.001-06:00

Today as Trent was leaving the house, something in the backyard caught his eye. A dirt pile? No, we still have a foot and a half of snow out there. It was a moose. A very large she-moose bedded down in the garden.

Trent sent me a message letting me know that she was there. I warned the girls to keep an eye out as they went home. Really, I thought she would have moved on. But, nope. She was still in the garden, now sitting in the shade of the trees.

"Molly" must have gotten the munchies because eventually, after many visitors came to look, she began to graze upon the smorgasbord of vegetation available to her. She enjoyed the quakies and stretched her neck to reach the tips of the higher branches. Then she moseyed on over to the lilacs where she munched much on the tender low branches. Then she chewed on the fragrant limbs of the pine trees.

It was back to the quakies before she bedded down again, this time in the middle of the yard, to clean up after such a big meal. She rested there until time to enjoy some rich apple twigs, just before heading out for the evening.

Come again Molly Moose. We'd love to have you visit another day. Just don't come angry. No one likes an angry moose.

P.S. We don't allow "Peeping Toms" in this neighborhood. Keep moving!!!

Life is Good.

The Sound of Spring

2011-03-10T21:06:00.001-07:00

A couple of my fellow bloggers from Utah just posted pictures of Spring arriving there. I'm not posting any pics. I posted pictures of our Spring last week. It was depressing. But, this evening, there is hope. Guess what I'm hearing on my roof? pitter patter pitter patter pitter patter Can you hear it? If I didn't still have ice in my driveway I would run outside and dance in the rain. (I can't because the combination of rain and ice could make for possible broken legs or ankles in this 40+ body.) But, I can enjoy the sound. AND I AM!!!!

Trent just came back from the grocery store. He was able to use the brand new windshield wipers to whoosh away RAIN. Not snow people. RAIN. Beautiful, wet, puddle-making RAIN!!!

Life is Good - And Spring is definitely on its way. Only 2 1/2 feet of snow to go.

Spring Fever has Arrived

2011-02-26T17:01:00.000-07:00

We had two days of "Spring is right around the corner" weather last week - just to tease us. That was before the 6 inches of new snow arrived later in the week. But, that didn't stop the girls from participating in some Spring-like activities today. So, with the temperature around 15 degrees, they headed out to the road to toss the softball around and to ride the scooter. They didn't last long. But, they tried. Lots of giggles could be heard and it brought a smile to the neighbors' faces.

Katy scootering along - very slowly.

Adri dressing for every season.

Kenna making a slippery catch.

Life is Good - as the hope of Spring lingers.

Who Doesn't Vacation in Detroit?

2011-02-21T21:58:00.002-07:00

In November, Trent and I "vacationed" in Detroit. Why would anyone choose to go to Detroit? Well, because Detroit is where the conference was and we hadn't been further east than Chicago. Oh, and did I mention that Chicago was only four hours away from Detroit? We had a great time.We flew out on separate airplanes - different airlines, actually. Trent flew from Salt Lake to Phoenix and then to Detroit. I flew directly to Detroit. I had to meet up with him somewhere in the airport which was no little feat and is an entirely different blog entry. Someday, I hope to write about it. It was wayyyy too good to forget.

Detroit is an interesting place and I'm sure that at one time it was a lovely, thriving city. But, with the economic mess that our country has found itself in, there isn't much life there. What it does have is a lot of burned out buildings and empty and abandoned businesses. Some of those facilities take up more acreage than our entire town - like a Pontiac plant. That was quite haunting and extremely sad. The were a few casinos, Greek restaurants (yummy), and Ford Field that were happy spots in an otherwise depressing city. The Ford company seemed to be hanging on and I enjoyed visiting The Henry Ford (museum) and The Rouge (the plant where the Ford F-150 is built). I had to go alone, driving through a strange city even, since Trent was at his conference. I did it, though, and I survived quite happily. Too bad they don't give out free cars at the end of the tour. But, one can always dream. The Henry Ford has more history in it than a textbook. I LOVED that place.

One of only a very few surviving copies of the Declaration of Independence. More security on this thing than the President has. Not kidding!!!

The actual bus where Rosa Parks stood up for her rights as a human being. I got to step up on that bus too. Humbling!!!

The original Wienermobile. Does it get any cooler than that? Yes it does - I ate an Oscar Mayer hot dog right next to it!!!

Blue Bird No. 1. One of the first buses built. No seat belts then , either. We got 17 kids in my bus seat once. Could that many even fit on this bus? Doubtful.

The car that John F. Kennedy was shot in. It's all cleaned up and completely bullet-proof now. They fixed all the security issues right after the shooting but the car was never used again.

Quite surprising was our out of the blue jaunt to Chicago.We hadn't planned to go there but, when you are only four hours away from Trent's favorite place in the world, we just had to hit the road and take the adventure. Since neither of us had been to Ohio we drove all across that state (seeing Toledo, interesting), the state of Indiana, and right into Chicago. On the way back, we drove all the way across Michigan. Those places are lovely and we saw some Amish settlements, where people drive horse and buggies. That was cool. So many trees and green fields and not one sage brush or cedar tree to be found.

Chicago was beautiful and FREEZING!!! I liked it because I had never driven into the city. We always ride the trains and buses from the airport so entering the city from Indiana brought a new perspective. We also stayed right on the river. It was AWESOME. I found out why expensive hotels are expensive - you pay for the valet, the parking, the television, the internet, use of the in-room refrigerator, blah, blah, blah. They probably charged us a towel fee. But, no matter we loved it.

Coming into the city. Straight ahead, the tallest near building, is Trump Tower. It's new and pretty cool. I watched The Apprentice finale when Bill Rancic chose to be in charge of that project. I think he did a good job.

Michigan Avenue. It really did feel like a concrete corridor and taxi drivers are NUTS.


Marina Towers. We call them the Corn Cobs. I think I could live there at least as my vacation home. I live in the country and would vacation to the city. Maybe someone inside would like to trade me just a couple weeks every year.

The Chicago Theater. I just love that old sign.

The view from our hotel room. The Chicago River is beautiful (and probably full of the bodies of ex-mobsters). Nevertheless, one of my favorite Chicago things. There was a guy across the way that watched ESPN Sportscenter all night long - with his blinds open. Ooh, does that make me a Peeping Tom? Nah. He's probably used to people looking in there.

We walked everywhere that night. That's how I knew it was so cold. This is a picture of the "Bean" in Millennium Park. It is one of the most amazing parks to visit. Everyone should hang out there - but in the Summer to Fall months.


The Giant Eyeball sculpture. Weird but interesting. It is 30 feet tall. It was taken down a couple days after this.

So, a vacation to Detroit was fun. I'm glad we went. I would like to go there another time when the economy has turned around. We flew back, separately again, with me stopping in the Minneapolis airport for FOREVER. I tried to find the infamous Larry Craig restroom (Idahoans are quite familiar with this special location) but wasn't successful. hahaha

Thanks for taking me Trent!

Life is Good - even in Detroit.

And Here's ... BUDDY

2011-02-09T15:40:00.003-07:00

Buddy is not our favorite name for a dog, especially since that is the name we call Collin, the cat, and anyone whose name has slipped our minds (which is happening more and more often with each passing month). We'd like to change it but how do you explain to a dog, in a way that he will comprehend, that his name is now Abercrombie? (That wouldn't be his name because I'm the only one who likes it.) Seriously, any ideas are welcome. But, nevertheless, BUDDY has arrived and we adore him. Except we don't appreciate his woman's shoe fetish - four shoes in four weeks. Other than that he has fit in so well. My favorite things about him are:

* Very soft fur. His ears could possibly be the softest thing I have ever touched.
* He sits every time you pet him.
* His lip gets stuck behind his vampire tooth on one side or the other nearly every time he closes his mouth.
* When you talk to him he cocks his head to one side and looks at me more intently than my children.
* He gets right up in the morning - unlike most of the other dependents in my household.
* He sleeps with Katy and not me.

He's definitely a great part of the family. We'll keep him!!!

Life is Good - and pets can make it even better.

P.S. We still really miss Cruiser!

Oh Where, Oh Where Did my Little Girls Go?

2011-01-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the Winter Dance at the Junior High. The twins were so excited to go. They got new dresses, new jewelry, and new high heeled shoes. High heels? I still don't wear those things for fear I will fall over. The funny thing about the shoes is that Adri and Katy are nearly the tallest girls in 7th grade and with the added height they'll be taller than everyone - especially the boys. Katy even curled her hair. We couldn't remember the last time a curl entered that mane. We had a blast getting them ready. It took forever! Whatever will we do when they both go to a "real" dance and have to get all dolled up? Seriously, we may have to hire help. Can't wait for them to come home and tell us all the stories. When the two of them get excited and start telling stories it is a pure delight. So much speed talking we can't keep up. Fun! Fun! Fun!

Adorable aren't they? And still missing teeth. I guess they are still young.

Katy's "Polka - Dotty Twirly" dress. "Watch me spin, Mom and Dad."

Adri. She loved her silver/gold shoes but I didn't get them in the pic. Drat! "Am I like 6 feet tall in these shoes?"

Life is Good - but going by so quickly!!!

Fifteen Fantastic Facts about McKenna

2011-01-17T20:06:00.001-07:00

January 5th was McKenna's birthday. She is an awesome girl, you know! I truly am proud of her. Her birthday was a bit of a shot at reality for her. I don't think that she had realized just how busy she is at this time in her life. She just goes about doing what has to be done. But, on her big day, she had basketball practice at 5:45 a.m. School was calling her attention from 8:00 to 3:30. Then the Freshman Class Officers were in charge of the concessions stand at the basketball game beginning at 4:15. She didn't come home until about 10:00 p.m. She said, "I don't even have time to celebrate." She was right. But we did party the next night. She is marvelous!!!

So, in honor of the girl's 15th birthday I am writing THE 15 THINGS I ADORE MOST ABOUT MCKENNA.

1. Her smile is like sunshine. It warms your heart.
2. She has gorgeous long, naturally curly hair that I am totally jealous of.
3. Her funny sense of humor. She can be quite a practical joker.
4. Her brilliance. She is REALLY smart. (Must come from her father.)
5. She is very adventurous. She was the first to want to kayak with me. She's the first to say yes to a hike. She's the first to jump off the roof. And the first to do a back dive off the cliff.
6. She is very compassionate - especially when it comes to the elderly and animals.
7. Champion of the one word conversation. Mom: How was school? Kenna: Boring Mom: How was practice? Kenna: Boring Mom: What was the best thing at school today? Kenna: Nothing (Everyday for the last 6 years has been like that.)
8. Extremely competitive. She hates to lose.
9. Maintains the same happy face, whether she loses or not.
10. A really good example to everyone around her.
11. She is extremely stubborn. No, that is an understatement. What is more than extremely stubborn?
12. Very creative - with a shoe box or two. She can make an entire condo or townhouse with people, furniture, and pets.
13. Very dependable. She is the constant in all her friends' lives. They know they can always count on her.
14. Persistent. She never gives up. Which is why she has become very good at basketball, volleyball and softball.
15. That girl can burp like no other!!! Total earthquake, folks. I didn't know girls could even do that.

She has been an absolute joy in our life since the moment she was born. Sure love you McKenna! Thanks for your wonderful life.

Life is Good - When McKenna is a part of it!.

Snow Days in November?

2010-11-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

As everyone knows up here in the frozen tundra of North East Idaho, "Snow Days" or "Cold Days" are bonus school vacation days. You can count on them ... and we do! We may not get many days for Spring Vacation but we get our two weeks of Harvest Break and then up to 10 days of school closure days. Every so often, like once a decade, we use all ten of those days. But even more rare is a year without a school closure. They are loved by students and teachers here and envied by every school-aged child everywhere else in the valley. They usually come during the months of January and February when the cold winds seem to blow the dry snow around and the temperatures can dip well below -20. How nice it is to hear that telephone ring at 5:00 a.m. and know, without answering, that school is canceled. What do you do then? Call all your friends, cheer, praise the bus supervisor, and then crawl back in bed for a couple of more warm winks.

We had NO snow on Friday!

But, a snow day in November? And then two of them - unheard of. Uncouth. Freaky. Absurd. And absolutely WONDERFUL!!! especially if they just happens to come on the week of Thanksgiving. So, with the Blizzard of 2010 (as it is being called) wreaking havoc outside we have hunkered down and baked cupcakes and muffins, designed the Christmas card, cleaned the bedrooms (somewhat, teenagers in charge of that), thought about doing ironing and caught up on the Blog. Oh yeah, we've played in the snow. It is, after all, a SNOW DAY!!!

Gobble Gobble. Happy Thanksgiving!

Kenna's shelter - protecting her from the 30 mph winds.

Katy trying out the shelter. "It's warm in here."

Poor Trent, however, has not had Snow Days and so we have carefully watched the weather report and road reports to make sure that he can get to work safely. Sometimes the 40 mile drive can seem like a 1000 mile drive. When the road report says dangerous ... it is. Lucky for him, he has made down and back safely each day. Our fingers are still crossed for one more day.

Life is Good - and even better on a SNOW DAY!

Fall Activities

2010-11-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite activities in the Fall is canning. So, I decided it was about time to get some pictures of the festivities. We can Chili Sauce, Green Beans, Carrots, Corn, Bottle Tomatoes, Peaches, Apples and Salsa - lots and lots of salsa. Canning season does begin to drag toward the end, I must admit. But today, a couple months later, when the roads are drifted over and the wind is blowing like a banshee, I can look in the storage room and be grateful that I don't have to go to the grocery store.

One of a billion batches of salsa that we made.

The assembly line. From beautiful washed tomatoes to smushy gushy salsa guts.

Home canned goodness - Life is Good.

Senioritis

2010-10-14T20:00:00.000-06:00

I've got Senioritis. Collin's a senior and I'm quite sick about it. I have been heard saying, "I can't wait for that kid to be out on his own." But, seriously, I'm quite nervous about it and not ready for him to be making big grown up decisions. Sheesh. What's he going to do after he graduates? He's got a year after he graduates before he goes on a mission. Should he go to college for the year? Should he work? Should he do half and half? Has he even thought of these things? He's 17. I doubt it. Will he ever without me forcing him?

No matter, I love him. He is fun and brings a lot of joy (and torture [three younger sisters]) to family.

Life is Good - even with teenagers.

On Top of the World

2010-09-06T08:53:00.001-06:00

Table Rock mountain is in the Teton Range. It rests at 11,106 feet above sea level. We would climb almost 4100 feet. It is quite a hike (strenuous in all the hiking books) with fantastic views of several mountains, including the Grand, and the valleys below. We hiked it Saturday as a family, not all willing or happy about it, either. But, if we made it to the top, some great lessons would be learned. And some fantastic memories would live on.

Making our way up the trail.

There are two trails up the mountain. One is less steep but longer and is called Huckleberry Trail. The other is about two miles shorter (still nine miles round trip) but extremely steep. It's called The Face and in 1.5 miles you climb 2100' in elevation. We went up The Face - because we could! Aunt Sus was with us and she coaxed the twins along every step of the way.


On top of the world and fairly happy about it.

We all made it. Collin arrived on top two hours before us. (He's lucky he didn't have hypothermia after that long wait.) Kenna got there about an hour before us. (She was so determined. Once she sets her mind on something she doesn't look back.) At the top I felt like crying. It was a great moment. The view was even better than I remembered.

Coming down - like a horse headed to the barn.

What we learned? We can do hard things. And, with family support we can accomplish great things. That is the best part of the hike.

Life is Good and absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

Good Bye Old Friend

2010-08-15T21:13:00.001-06:00

Our family picture 2004 (The kids insisted that Cruiser be in the picture. I'm so grateful that he was.)

Seven and a half years ago, our nephew (cousin) Greg called up and asked if we wanted a puppy. His two dogs had parented the cutest little golden fluffs of hair that have ever been seen. One of them was a runt and easily captured the heart of all Greg's family. They didn't want him to go. An easy solution was to give the little guy to us and then he would still be part of the family.

I don't remember really anticipating that we would get a dog anytime soon. We had a cat and that was enough for me. I had grown up in a family that was never allowed to have pets. I didn't know how to take care of a dog. But, how could you say no to that little guy or to that cute Greg? So, Cruiser entered our life. As he grew from puppy to full-grown Golden Retriever, we watched how he became more and more part of the family. He had more hair than a person could imagine. His tail wagged so hard that sometimes we thought he would break a person's leg. (You've heard that saying, "The tail that wags the dog." That was Cruiser.) He spread out on the kitchen floor and made it almost impossible to cook a meal. He stood under the kitchen table at meal times (even when company was over) hoping for a morsel of "people food." He curled up next to you when you'd sit on the floor and want his belly rubbed. He slept with Collin for years when he was afraid to sleep alone. He lived in the house, just like the other kids, and thought he was a human. He easily befriended anyone, young and old, who visited the house, even those who didn't like dogs. When he went on walks he always allowed everyone to pet him. He gently took food from your hand and NEVER!!! growled at people. When Katy took him to school last year for a speech, calls of "Cruiser" were heard up and down the hallways from students and teachers. I don't know if any other dog in the world has been more loved than him. In return, Cruiser loved his people even more.

Last summer, Cruiser experienced his first Grand Mal seizure. It was scary. The vet told us that it could be just a coincidence or it could be a sign of things to come. After a few changes in diet and a round of medication he didn't experience anymore for some time. Then it happened again. It didn't seem to be coincidence anymore. Recently the seizures became more violent and came more often. New meds just weren't helping. Until finally he was having so many that they were making him disoriented. A decision had to be made. So on Friday, August 13, we took him to the vet to be put to sleep. We said goodbye to possibly our dearest, most devoted friend and family member. Our hearts have been broken ever since.

I'm sure that within time we will stop crying and we will get a new dog to fill the space that Cruiser left in our home and in our family. But, no other dog will ever fill the space in our hearts that a large, hairy, lovable, kind Cruiser has occupied. We love him so and miss him even more.

Cruiser with Trent and my nephew Hunter on July 24th

Life is Good - even if your heart is weeping and tears are streaming!

Summer Weekend Vacation

2010-08-09T15:04:00.000-06:00

Our family is changing. No longer do we have ample time to just do whatever - based upon mom and dad's schedule. Now, we are juggling 6 schedules. As soon as school ended we began searching for an open week for the family vacation. So many possibilities were out there - Seattle, Oregon Coast (again, we love that place), San Diego, San Francisco, etc. But, when we looked at all the weeks, there wasn't one single week that was open - NOT ONE!!! How could that be? No matter how we tried to maneuver the trip nothing worked out. So, there was only one option - a Weekend Vacation. We decided to stay close and do some things that we haven't done with the kids. We opted for West Yellowstone to Jackson. Playmill Theater, Yellowstone Park (we have done that but found some new places to explore), Bar J Wranglers, Alpine Slide, Jackson Hole Tram, and a ski lift. It all worked out to be an exciting and fun memory building time.

Across from the Playmill Theater. We saw Beauty and the Beast.

Adri and Trent sitting on a very cute bench in West Yellowstone.

Collin and Kenna at the top of a very large rock they have climbed.

Collin - 'nough said!

Adri, Katy and Kenna rock climbing.

Waiting in line. On your mark, get set, GO!!

Jackson Hole Tram. 2.4 miles up and 4600 feet in elevation. My ears were popping like crazy.

Posing at the top of the world. The Grand Teton is in the background.

Life is good and filled with memories!

Holy Cow! Does Everyone Lose Their Mind When I'm Out of Town?

2010-08-05T21:37:00.001-06:00

I spent last week at Edufest - a Gifted and Talented Conference at Boise State University. Its a conference for people who teach and associate with GT kids, not GT people. That is why I was invited! It was a full week and I'm sure the family enjoyed having me away. But, I began to wonder what in the world was happening at home when I got a text from McKenna while I was attending a banquet. At the time the text came, all the kids were with Gma and Gpa Grant swimming. Here is the text:

Kenna: I JUST GOT A PUPPY!
Me: No you don't!
Kenna: Yes I do too!
Me. Not really! I'm going to cry.
Kenna: For serious! Its so cute!
Me: Did Dad let you?
Kenna: He doesn't know yet!
Me: You can't have a puppy! Where did you get it?
Kenna: At Golden Corral.
Me: what? What the heck is a golden corral?
Kenna: The restaurant duh! Some guy just gave it to me.
Me: Honey you can't have it. Is it real?
Kenna: It is real. Its in the car with me and I'm NOT giving it back.
Me: What did Grandma (the voice of reason, by the way) say?
Kenna: She didn't care. She thinks that its cute!

In the mean time, I text Trent and let him know about the Dog. I get a text back from him that says, "If my parents have let her get a dog, they are dead!"

Me: What kind is it?
Kenna: Yellow!
Me: Big or Little?
Kenna: Really little!
Me: What do you think your dad will say?
Kenna: He will probably just laugh?
Me: Really. I'm not laughing,.
Kenna: I am!

I'm thinking, "Yah you're laughing because I'm here and you're there and there isn't anything that I can do to stop this dog from coming to my house."

Me: "Well, I am not happy!
Kenna: Sorry!
Me: Are you sure of what you are doing? I'm about to throw up. None of us have time to take care of a puppy. Besides we have Cruiser (our dog who has begun having grand mal seizures regularly) is stressing me out and school is about to start.
Kenna: I promise that this puppy needs no are at all!
Me: All puppies need care and I am FREAKIN' out!!!!!
Kenna: This one doesn't!
Me: You are kidding huh! Please say yes!!!!!
Kenna: No I have a dog.
Me: I'M GOING TO NOT BE VERY HAPPY!!!! GRRRRRR!!!
Kenna: Do you want me to call you and explain it?
Me: NO!!!! I just want it to go away. Dad says that if this is real then Grandma and Grandpa are dead.
Kenna: Fine! Ya know what? I will just pop it!! '( Haha!
Me: Whew!!! I love you again.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH Good joke!!!

Life is Good when you don't have a new puppy to deal with.

Summer River Swimming Begins

2010-07-24T07:28:00.001-06:00

July's weather has been fairly favorable for those who like to swim - but not for those who like to kayak. The wind is always blowing. ~~Some~~ Every summer is like that here in Eastern Idaho, its just that some are worse than others. This is a down right blustery one. It makes for a grumpy me. I am nearly sick of the sound of rustling leaves. I'm tired of having to fetch the pool cover from the bottom of the pool because the wind has again blown it off. And I'm down right perturbed that I haven't been able to kayak. That's what I'm supposed to do in the summer. And, I bet the river has missed me.

But, windy days are still good for swimming, if you are swimming in a well protected hole of the river. Lucky for us we have such a place. (I am ~~amazed~~ thankful that not so many people know about "our" place however we do share it with our friends from time to time.) Each year the kids get more and more brave and so they try new things - like Collin's flip with a twist off the highest rocks into the water. Or, McKenna's forward dive off the rocks for the first time. Adri started jumping off the highest "dive" and Katy jumping into the rapids to float down. We have taken a million pictures - just because we love this place so much.

McKenna said yesterday, "When I'm older and I come to visit with my kids, we are definitely going to come swimming here. I LOVE this place." Actually we all LOVE this place. Just another reason why living in this very small town, and enjoying what it's surrounding have to offer, is almost heavenly.

Life is Good especially when you have free swimming with lots of benefits.

Family, Fun, and Freedom

2010-07-06T09:00:00.001-06:00

My favorite thing about the 4th of July is spending time with family and having the freedom to do whatever we want. This is a great country and I'm so grateful for that freedom. We've pretty much reserved this holiday for family - no friends, no work, no nothing just family. We had a great time together. It started on Friday with the kids and me heading to Idaho Falls to do a little shopping. Collin thought he was going to die. Girls take way too long to shop. Just to torture him we went to another store. We just kept laughing and laughing. He did, too. Then we met Trent and Tracie on the river for a picnic lunch. The river is beautiful. We enjoyed feeding a squirrel. In a very scientific experiment, we found that squirrels (at least this one) prefer Doritos over whole wheat bread and lettuce. Sorry Aunt Tracie!

Saturday we went to the annual 4th Ward Scout Breakfast. Apparently this is quite a tradition and since we were recently moved into the 4th Ward it will now be part of our Independence Day celebrating. All the kids were involved in the preparation of this - because the YW are always having to help the Scouts. Why is that? j/k Then it was off to the "stupid" Rexburg parade. Seriously, this is a terribly lame parade. I vow from this moment to never attend it again. But, it was fun to be with my family. Afterward we enjoyed a barbecue at my parent's home. That is always fun. But, the highlight of the day was the first ever Grant Family Backyard Pool Belly Flop Contest. Holy cow we were laughing. The pictures don't seem to do it justice. Next year everyone is invited!!! You'll want to be part of this for sure.

After church on Sunday we made a spontaneous decision to go to Yellowstone Park. It was the perfect day. It is so green up there right now. More good laughs and good memories. Another thing to be thankful for - Teddy Roosevelt who what the forethought to preserve that beautiful area so we can enjoy now, many years later. I can't imagine summer without it.

Life is Good.

2010-07-01T17:38:00.000-06:00

Summer has begun. The sun is shining and the grass is green (quickly turning yellow because it is hot). Now we can play outside. Lucky for us we have a giant pool (attractive nuisance, I believe Trent called it) in our backyard to splash around in when the weather is right. 3800 gallons of water is going to take a while to warm up but it'll get there eventually. The kids began playing in the water at 11:30 and it is now 5:30. Someone has been in there every minute for 6 hours. I hope our sunscreen is working.

Fun in the Sun! Yay for summer!!

Life is really good!

Camping With the Girls

2010-06-20T17:11:00.000-06:00

One of the things I loved growing up was Girls Camp. Some of my favorite memories come from the yearly activity. We were spoiled. We camped at Rock Creek Girls Camp in the Targhee/Caribou Forest just outside the western boundary of Yellowstone National Park. It is beautiful ... and posh (for camping). There are A-frame cabins with electricity and refrigerators for sleeping. There is a bathroom with showers, flushing toilets, and hot water. There's an unheated swimming pool. There's a stage with a sound system and benches surrounding a fire pit. It is the ideal place for girls to spend a week. I loved it then and I love it even more now.

Our stake just returned from a week at Rock Creek. Early June is not the ideal time to go. But, you take what you can get. There's a pretty high demand for its poshness. We experienced wind, rain, wind, rain, thunder, lightning, rain, SNOW!!, and 20 degree temperatures. But, many prayers were answered and when we needed the weather to cooperate it did.

My favorite thing about girls camp this year was being with my three girls. I loved popping into their ward's cabin to check on them, give them hugs and kisses at night, and watch them participate in different activities. They didn't need me and that was ok. But, if they had, I would have been there. I had the most children at camp. Weird. I suppose I will for several more years to come. And hopefully we'll be there together for all those years.

Life is Good. Really, really good.

Walking the Green Way

2010-06-13T16:10:00.001-06:00

This week we finally got out and took a little walk along the St. Anthony Green Way. It is a cute little trail that goes between the river and the highway. The Henry's Fork of the Snake River has been over its flood stage and we wanted to see how much water was down there. We got our answer - A LOT!!! But it has since gone down and all is well. We were able to bring cousin Tanner along. It was good to have him there. Its always good to be with the cousins. The wildflowers are just beginning to bloom and so the colors are lovely. With the high water came a high number of floating logs that seemed to all gather in one spot. The beavers will be happy. I wish I could produce the sound. SPECTACULAR!!! I love that river roar.

Bountiful Baskets

2010-06-11T13:08:00.001-06:00

Back in February, a friend of mine posted a blog entry about Bountiful Baskets. I'd never heard of them before but was quite interested in the concept. I looked up the website and thought that our family could save some money and enjoy the food. So, after much research, and figuring out the website, we signed up for our first basket. We had to pick it up in Rigby because there were weren't any baskets available at closer locations. Our basket was full of fresh vegetables and fruits. I didn't have any idea what to expect but I was completely surprised at how much was included.

We've pretty much ordered a basket every week since. It has been so fun. Each basket is different and gives us the opportunity to experience new foods. The rule at our house is that we can't throw it away just because we've never had it before. So, we've had artichokes, brussel sprouts, papayas, mangoes, bok choy, and mexican squash. It has been fun. Some things we like and some things we don't need again. Every Saturday is like Christmas - full of a new surprise and adventure.

We now have a delivery spot right here in St. Anthony. Tomorrow will be another pick up day. Can't wait for the surprise that awaits us. Yummy!

P.S. The pictures shows just some of what was included in the basket one Saturday. I'd already put most of the vegetables away - two heads of romaine lettuce, a bag of potatoes, and a couple cucumbers.

Bountiful Blessings

2010-05-16T20:25:00.008-06:00

Wow am I lucky. I have totally been blessed with many bounteous blessings. Today I spent time taking pictures of four of the greatest blessings in my life. As I looked at them I realized that life is going by so fast and they are growing up even faster.

McKenna is now 14 and about to finish her 8th grade year. She has been on the 8th grade volleyball and basketball teams where she is greatly skilled and so evenly tempered is amazes all. She is so smart and manages to maintain her grades while balancing a schedule that I can't even keep track of. She is currently playing shortstop on her softball team and is looking forward to Student Council at the high school where she will be the secretary.

Kathrynn is now 12 and has entered the world of Young Womens. She is such a good friend and she has tons. Sixth grade has opened a whole new world to her social life. She seems to have a party or a get-together to go to each weekend. She loves to spend time with her little cousins that live a couple blocks away. She has decided she doesn't like competive sports but does like to play her saxaphone. She is looking forward to summer band. If she isn't jumping on the trampoline , look for her in the kitchen cooking up something yummy.

Collin will turn 17 in a couple weeks! Seventeen. Can you believe that? He has totally enjoyed his Junior year. He played football and he wrestled. He participated as an escort in the Jr. Miss pageant. He was selected for the Honor Society and to be in the TATU (Teens Against Tobacco Use) group. He won an award for his solo at a national jazz band competition and the "Best Actor" award at the Honor's English Academy Award ceremony. (Small groups in the two Honor's English classes made movies about something. We haven't seen it yet.) He stays way too busy to do his chores.

Adrienne is also 12 and excited to be out of Primary. She is fun and adventuresome. She too has a social calendar that amazes me. She played on a community basketball team and tried volleyball for the first time. She loved it and did really well. She is also playing softball again. She plays the flute and loves it. She loves to be on the skooter and the rip stick. She has begun doing her own hair and can make it look so cute. She hates to wake up and hates to go to bed. She also has an infectious smile and laugh. She is a talker and keeps us quite informed on the happenings at school.

We sure do love these kids. We are also so proud of them and the choices they make.

2010-05-04T17:41:00.004-06:00

The South Fremont Jazz band recently took a trip to Denver and then Greely, Colorado to participate in a Jazz Band Festival. It was a much bigger festival than anyone expected and the band, who are considered to be a fairly big fish in our little pond, found themselves to be a little fish in a much bigger lake. Despite the freezing, cold, rainy, winter-like weather, the trip was a blast. They did respectfully well and came back better musicians. That's all that counts really.

The best part was that Collin, who hates to solo, was forced to do a MAJOR solo because he is the only baritone sax player and that's what the music called for. So, though he didn't want to, he did - and he was fantastic. He never practices. I mean never. I don't know if I can emphasize that enough. NEVER!!!! I listened to him and wondered what would be if.... He received a special award at the festival for excellent soloing. We haven't seen the award yet. I'm sure it is somewhere between here and there, along with his brand new and expensive dress shoes. But, unlike the shoes, we do know that the award exists.

Last week, the band performed a concert. I couldn't wait to hear the solo. Trent's parents drove all the way up from Utah to watch and weren't disappointed. The band is really good. I could listen to them all day. But, Collin's solo (click on the red words for solo) was definitely award winning. I was impressed. It was worth blogging about. You'll enjoy it too. The trumpet soloist is our good friend Connar Moore. He was great too. But, I'm partial to the bari sax - nicknamed Big Bertha.

Just Another of His Many Talents

2010-05-01T22:22:00.002-06:00

Collin has been working on a new skill lately - one he didn't want us to know about until it was perfect, apparently. His sisters knew. His friends knew. His friends' parents knew. Did we know? NO!!! And why? BECAUSE ITS DANGEROUS!!!!

Fire blowing is "one of his talents," he announced to me and then he said, "Bring the camera." I did and this is what I got. I didn't know that three lit matches and a mouthful of powdered sugar could be so "freakin' awesome." He tried to convince his band teacher to let him perform his little act at the band concert as part of the big finale of a song. Amazingly the band teacher said, "No." Can you imagine that?

When I found spots of blown powdered sugar all over my kayaks and on the floor of the garage I became a little worried. I approached Collin and he said, "Mom, relax. I'm very responsible with my fire blowing." Of course he is.

Collin - A True Contender for Jr. Miss

2010-03-28T07:17:00.006-06:00

Collin, and three other boys, were selected by this year's Jr. Miss contestants to be escorts. In this smallish town that is a nice thing. It means that he is kinder outside the house than in. What more could a mom ask for? His job, and the other boys, was to do all the grunt work on stage like moving props, the piano, closing curtains, walking the girls to the microphone, and look pleasant. He was fantastic. We were so grateful that he didn't step on the skirt of a dress. I suppose all those late night practices (we haven't seen him for over a week) paid off.

When the girls are finished competing and the judges are out tallying, it is the escorts job to entertain the crowd. It was definitely entertaining! The boys did an 8 minute review of the entire two and a half hour program in just 8 minutes and 37 seconds. There was more screaming and cheering going on in those 8 minutes than I have heard at every football game in three seasons. Personally, I think Collin should have won the talent portion of the program. But, maybe I am just biased. Here is the video. (Click on the red word. Be patient. It is huge and takes some time to buffer. then, for some reason, you may need to slide the little play arrow along just a couple seconds. it'll work.)It isn't very good because of the darkness and the spotlight. Collin is the guy dressed as Alice in Wonderland in the opening number - last on the right side of the stage. He performs fourth in the Self Expression number and third in the Physical Fitness number. He comes from the right side curtain for the talents - playing the "violin" and recorder, singing, and dancing (the one that rolls on the floor). He is the one without red hair. Enjoy! It is very funny. We didn't know he had such great moves. Gotta love that boy. And ... we do!

Ah, Spring!

2010-03-04T22:03:00.005-07:00

Today was once of those "spring-like" days that make me think of warmer climates and good memories. It smelled like spring and it looked like spring. Water was running down the gutters and torrents of water rushed like waterfalls off the roof. Everywhere you went there was water making the physical change from solid to liquid. AWESOME!!!!!

As I was driving in Rexburg, I saw a group of three women pushing strollers up the hill toward the temple. It brought back a flood of great memories of our days in Provo when we lived in married student housing. I thought of the fun we had pushing our strollers up the temple hill to the park. We had so much fun. Those strollers could be so heavy. Sometimes we could have as many as 12 moms forming our little train. We talked, laughed, and complained. Going back down the hill was so much easier. Wasn't that fun Emily and Diane? Ah, good memories. I could go into deep water aerobics but that's a nightmare.

Spring makes me think of flowers blooming in Provo, when they are supposed to - not 2 months late. My mother-in-law, so generously and kindly, lets me know as soon as her first crocus stretches it's leaves and opens it's purple head. It usually coincides with the day the snowplow comes along to move the slush in the road into my driveway. When the three foot snowdrift melts on my flowerbed, I have the hope that the tulips will awaken to share their spring colors with me. That won't happen until the end of April. By then mom's crocus and tulips will have lost their petals and the summer flowers will be planted. Ah, that's a good yearly memory.

Today I was missing Spring, in its proper place, and not in the summer. Ah, good memories. Hopefully soon, I'll have Spring realities. Can't wait!!!!

Lost in Parker

2010-02-05T19:40:00.004-07:00

I love to tell stories. Only true stories. And, I admit that occassionally I will "lace up the details" to make it more interesting. The details are all true, too. But, this story is nothing like that. There is no "lacing" in what you are about to read. It is just straight shootin'.

Tonight I had to take Adrienne and Kathrynn to a birthday party. We had the address but I wasn't sure where it was. Of course, my super smart Trent said to Google it - which I did, but there wasn't an address that matched. But, hey, they live in a really new house and probably on a really new street that wasn't on Google yet. I thought about it and did, what I felt, was some pretty awesome logical reasoning. There was a 2000 East and I figured that as it jogged around a canal or a ditch then perhaps the street would change to 1990 East (the intended target). Sounded pretty good to me.

So we head out into Parker - a smaller town outside St. Anthony. I found 2000 and was feeling so smart. We scanned the numbers on the mailboxes as we drove slowly - through a blizzard, I might add - hoping to find 375. We were in the 400s for a very long time and then started to worry because I figured we were nearing the end of the earth. But yeah! Relief was spotted a bit ahead of us. Through the snow we could see what looked like two people, carrying inner tubes on their backs, heading home from an afternoon of tubing. I figured that we could ask them for help once we got to them. So, we continued our mailbox search. All of a sudden Adri says, "Mom, its a cow!" Sure enough, somehow those two boys had turned into a cow and it was just about 10 feet away. Well, we startled it enough that it bolted right into the middle of the road. Now I was lost and following a cow. When the cow moved we were at the end of the road - literally. No 375. We had to turn around.

On the way back I passed a house where two people were standing on their porch. I decided since the cow couldn't answer, I'd ask them. I backed up to their house. The man was in his boxers and tank top and the woman was in her nightgown (it was 6:00 pm). I asked, "Do you know where the Petersons live?" The man looked at his wife and back at me and said, (It is important to think this and say it in the most Ozarkish drawl that you can possibly imagine) "Well, there ain't no Petersons who live around these parts." He asked me for the street address. I told him and he said, "Well, this here is 2000 and if you head over that a way, 1900 is over yonder." I said, "Ok, I'll just go that way and maybe I'll run into 1990 somewhere between." He said, "There ain't no such 1990."

I gave my thanks and was just about to pull off when the lady shouted out, "Don't you like our cow?" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH I couldn't stop laughing. True, there wasn't a 1990 (misprint on the invitation) but heading down 2000 was the best thing I could have done. That was so dang funny! I love living in this place.

Zumba Update

2010-02-02T16:39:00.002-07:00

I LOVE Zumba. It is so fun. I've attended enough times that I now know most of the steps to the dances and have started focusing on muscles I'm using or not using. It has been a good thing to start since I turned 40. Turning 40 is rough. I felt very old. Did you know that my mom was a month away from 40 when I got married. I don't feel as old as I thought she was (Sorry mom.) Nevertheless it arrived and I couldn't stop it. But, here's the point to that side note, I'm 40 and I am still coordinated. I don't look like a total idiot when I do the dances (at least that is what people who would be totally honest with me have said). And, when I practice in front of the bathroom mirror, I don't think I look like a freakazoid. Now, if you happen to think that don't tell me because I won't be able to bear it. So, even at 40, I can do somet hings. Also, I have acquired a little bit more energy and stamina. I can make it through one hour of continuous dancing without dying. After the first day I never thought that would happen. I have also lost about half an inch off my waist. I have to say "about" because I have been way too scared to measure. But, my pants seem to fit half an inch better. So, it's been worth the time and the sore knees, ankles, and hips. I'll keep going.

ZUMBA and the New Me

2010-01-13T21:16:00.003-07:00

Our school district has provided us with the chance to get fit. They must have looked at us and decided something needed to be done. So, they have brought in a Zumba instructor. I didn't know anything about Zumba but I did know that I needed to get fit. I started running on the treadmill awhile back and did it for one week. Then I got some kind of foot injury that has prevented me from doing anything - just normal walking around has been excrutiating. Over Christmas I decided to baby the foot and get it better. It worked and I am almost back to "ok." And, I figured I could take my chance at exercising again.

Monday was our first day. The district expected about 20 - 25 people to come but about 70 people showed up. We had a blast. Zumba is fast, energizing, exhausting, and works every part of my body - including those that I tend to keep quite motionless. There is a lot of "hip swaying" and I wished that I had paid more attention to Len on Dancing With the Stars as he instructed Donny Osmond on the "art". After all, Donny won with his moves. I'm not winning anything but I'm hoping to lose something. It is so much easier to watch my food intake when I am exercising and so the weight loss challenge has begun. I'm not going to weigh but I am going to measure the various trouble spots and then watch the inches melt away. I'm not going to share with you the actual measurements (unlike a very brave friend of mine, and fellow blogger, that has completely changed her lifestyle) because I'm not that open. But, I will share the victories as they come. And they WILL come. I'm so excited. To keep me motivated I have decided to take the class for credit.

So, here's to a new me this new year. I'm going to be 40 and healthy. (I can't believe I just admitted to my soon to be age. I think that's the first step in some kind of program. Admitting it!)

Another First

2010-01-02T21:27:00.004-07:00

Today Collin had his first formal dance date. They spent the afternoon decorating t-shirts for each other and then went on a sleigh ride. (It was a perfect day for the sleigh ride considering that we shoveled at least a foot of snow this morning.) He had a blast. Tonight he is off to the dance but he promised to bring Kiah over to the house so that I could take pictures. I think that he was horrified but, being the good boy that he is (and wanting to take the new car), he did it anyway. He showed excellent taste when he chose his tux and vest to match her dress. It was perfect. When he walked out of the "dressing room" his sisters said things like, "Wow!" and "Is that Collin?" and "He looks good!" I must admit he does clean up pretty well.

Kiah made him look even better! She is lovely. Glad she asked him.

More Camera Fun

2009-12-30T20:27:00.006-07:00

Today my sister, Cristy, and her family came to visit us (because I asked her to.) She lives about 2 blocks away. We have been planning for her to come teach me how to make bread since she moved here. Finally, seven months later, we did it.
Cristy worked at a bakery for years and is really good at all kinds of baking. Her rolls are always light and fluffy. Her bread is beautiful and looks like it came from a store. Her cookies are not only always delicious, but they look fantastic. I suppose that's why I've given up cookie making - her's are always better. When the twins walk home from school, they knock on my classroom window, say hi, and then go to Cristy's to see what baked goods she has to eat.
Today was my turn to bake. Together we made three loaves of light wheat and one loaf of cinnamon/raisin swirl. It was so much fun and the bread turned out lovely! It also tastes good.
Because we had fresh bread, and we have newly fallen snow, it was necessary to whip up some homemade chicken noodle soup. Cristy showed me how to make homemade noodles, too. (Cristy didn't learn that at the bakery. She learned it from my mom. I should have paid more attention to her cooking. But, I always planned to have a maid to do the cooking - like on the Brady Bunch. That hasn't happened YET.) Yummy!!!
Then I had to do a little camera practice. My camera has a setting (and two pages in the manual) dedicated to photographing "Food." Isn't that weird? Food doesn't even move. Nevertheless, I read up on it and think that I am quite good at it - at least it is in focus. So, here is a picture of the bread I made taken in "Food" mode. I'm sure that it looks completely different than a picture that I would have taken in "Portrait" mode. Whew, I'm glad I figure that out. My life is closer to becoming complete.

Christmas Fun

2009-12-29T08:46:00.002-07:00

Christmas came and went. We've had a great time being together. The kids seem to be quite happy about it all. Santa brought Band Hero for the Wii (which is like Rock Band.) Nothing like a video game to remind you about your age. I thought that playing the guitar was difficult but it is nothing compared to playing the drums. I'm so uncoordinated. I'm amazed at how good the kids are. Hopefully practice makes slightly better.

My favorite gift was a new camera from Trent. It has video capabilities and so I can now record our children. It is pretty cool. I've been doing a lot of reading because the instruction manual is about as thick as a Harry Potter book. I've tried something new each day. So, yesterday's practice session was on "Time-Lapse Movies." I've never done it before and I'll have to keep practicing. I decided to try it out on a very average activity at the Grant home - meal preparation. Forty minutes in the kitchen preparing, eating, and cleaning up dinner was condensed down to two seconds on the movie. It is so funny. If you watch it, be sure to blink before you click play. Otherwise, you'll miss it. What I need is some movie editing software to slow it down. Do you know of any? Perhaps something free like Picasa. That might help.

An Utter Christmas Failure

2009-12-22T19:44:00.003-07:00

I can't seem to get everything together this year. We decorated early, we had done some shopping early, and things were looking good. But, starting early didn't seem to help. I'm still behind. How? What do I have to say for myself? Nothing. I'm an utter Christmas failure. I haven't gotten the cards out and I probably won't. The neighborhood gifts aren't made and probably won't be by Christmas. I haven't finished the shopping and some of the presents aren't wrapped. Hopefully that will happen before the big day.

School ends tomorrow at 1:15. I wonder how much I can get done in a day and a half. If you don't get a card, you'll know not much. If you live close and don't receive a gift, you'll know I couldn't pull out of the slump. Sorry to you all ahead a time and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

2009-12-11T18:34:00.008-07:00

McKenna went to the Christmas Dance tonight. She asked a young lady in our ward to do her hair because Stacey always has beautiful hair. Apparently a ponytail or piggy braids were not going to work this night. We had to bring in the big guns. Stacey did an awesome job though she was terribly nervous. She took my little girl and turned her into a glamorous young lady - without over doing it.

McKenna bought her own dress for $20 on the clearance rack. She loves it and it is perfect. It is totally her.

While taking pictures I looked at my little girl, who hasn't willingly worn a curl or a bow or a flower since about the age of 2, and realized that she is growing up very fast. Just yesterday she wore her basketball shoes, knee socks, and ponytail. Tonight she is wearing high heels, nylons, and an updo. She can pull off both looks. No matter how she looks, though, she is wonderful. She is such a good girl. She is just as fantastic on the inside, if not more, than she is on the outside.

You Take the Good, You Take the Bad

2009-11-21T10:09:00.004-07:00

My favorite show, when I was young, was The Facts of Life. The theme song says, "You take the good. You take the bad. You take them both and then you have the facts of life. The facts of life." It is so true. Everyday is full of the good and the bad. When you put them together you end up with life. That's just the way it is.

My new calling in our stake has me thinking about that song. I am in the stake Young Women's. My first thoughts were all positive. Yes, I get to go to camp and enjoy it without babysitting the girls. Yes, I get to plan activities for the Laurels and Priests. Yes, I get to do Youth Conference. Yes, I get to work with some amazing ladies. Yes, I'll get to know a lot of the girls in other wards.
But now the "bad"is settling in. Nobody told me I would be speaking at Young Women in Excellence Meetings. Nobody told me I would have to speak at Stake Leadership meetings. No one told me that I would have to speak with the the High Council at different wards. These are the bads. I get so nervous to speak. I really hate it. But, you take the good things and add the bad things then mix them together to get the reality of it. And, I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to recognize both!

A New Season for Halloween

2009-11-01T15:39:00.006-07:00

We made "shrunken heads" a couple weeks ago. This picture is just after we made them. They never dried out and instead got all moldy. So, we tossed them. But, it was fun to create them.

Halloween came with a different look at our house. Sure we had the same decorations that we have always have, blowing wind, and snow on the ground (until just hours before). But, this year no one went trick or treating. We didn't have the usual scramble for costumes or bags of candy spread all over the floor. We still had jack-o-lanterns but they were carved just before dark. No one begged to carve them during the week. I was practically begging them to carve them on Halloween day.

Katy's polka-dotted pumpkin is on the left. She carved each dot on her own. Adri went wit a new design - the cheese grater. It was unusual but still fun.

McKenna went with the team spirit pumpkin and carved the South Fremont Cougar basket ball. The other side had a paw print.

Instead we had lots of people here at the house passing out candy to visiting ghosts, goblins, and pirates. We made stove-top kettle corn and snacked on hot wings. Then when all the kiddies were home and our doorbell was quiet, we gathered to watch an oldie goldie "scary" movie, Rear Window (1954, Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly). I think it is so scary. I can never watch it all. I always have to cover up my head and plug my ears.

Just recently I've begun to notice all the changes that our family is going through. The little kid stuff is ending and we're entering the all teen period. Can't wait for what will happen next.

One day I got a crafty hair and made these glowing Halloween creatures. They were easy and fun.

This One Comes With a Disclaimer

2009-10-17T07:39:00.007-06:00

Disclaimer: This entry is a little personal. You don't have to read beyond this point. I have made several attempts to write in a journal consistently throughout my life - failing miserably at all of them. But, when I started blogging I realized this was my journal. So, when we had this experience at our house I decided that I needed to write it down for future generations and it might help me in the process. This is my journal and so it must go here. Sorry. Just letting you know ahead of time. Oh, and it is LONG!

A couple of weeks ago, October 5, we went to bed as we normally do. I was looking forward to the last two sessions of General Conference the next day. The wind blew terribly during the night and had kept Trent and me awake for a couple of hours as we wandered the house determining from where the banging sound was coming. A tree branch was hitting the roof - it would need to be cut out the next day. Then we went back to sleep. At about 5:30 a.m. Trent made a loud, unusual sound. I reached over to check on him and called his name but didn't get a response. His body was very rigid. I jumped out of bed, closed the door to avoid waking the kids, and turned on the light. Trent was blue and gasping for air. He wasn't breathing at all and he had the most panicked look on his face - like "HELP ME!" He wasn't responding and then his eyes rolled up into his head and he began to turn purple. I quietly and quickly said a prayer asking for help in what to do. I felt extremely calm and very clear headed - unlike another time we had to call 911 and I couldn't remember that number. I called 911 and at the same time realized that I needed to start CPR or some form of air exchange for him. His jaw was clenched so tightly that I couldn't get it opened to clear an airway. I felt impressed to roll him on his side and pound him on his back. (Perhaps I pounded a little too hard because his back and ribs are still very sore. Oops!!) After what seemed like an eternity later, he began to breathe - although it didn't look like breathing or sound like breathing. But, air was going in and coming out and color was beginning to SLOWLY return. He was still not conscious. My first thoughts were that he had suffered a heart attack or a stroke.

During that time, and after the 911 call, I called my brother-in-law Tom to come over. Thank goodness they have moved close. He arrived within 5 minutes and asked me to get someone else to administer a priesthood blessing to Trent. I called our dear friend Brandon Creer. McKenna had heard the noise Trent made and had run to get Collin. Collin got the girls together and they began praying for Trent. It is one of the most tender thoughts I have. They were gathered in the twins' room, kneeling, crying, and praying that their dad would be okay. Collin manned the front door and kept his sisters as calm and comforted as he could.

I don't remember everything in the correct order anymore. I know that the first EMT responder arrived after Tom, and then Brandon came. Those two priesthood holders gave him a blessing and immediately his breathing seemed to ease into a fairly normal pattern. I am so grateful for them. I know God hears our prayers and blesses our lives through the priesthood. Soon, lots of people started coming. I don't remember now, even, how many people were there, but more first responders came and deputies from the Sheriff's office. Our bedroom was full. That may be why, when Trent started to come to, and his body was still not working correctly, he freaked out. He became very agitated and feisty and EXTREMELY strong. His speaking wasn't clear but we thought he was yelling for help. We, as in many, were trying to hold him down on the bed because we weren't sure what he would do if he got up. At some point I left the room and found the kids huddled with Cruiser, the dog, in Collin's room - as far from the sounds as they could get. I promised them that all would be okay and just to stay together. They did all day. When it comes right down to it, those four fantastic kids really do love each other and will take care of each other when they need to - despite the teasing and fighting we experience on a daily basis.

Trent eventually calmed down and was sitting on the edge of the bed when I got back to the bedroom. The ambulance had arrived. I think it took about 20 - 30 minutes for it to get to our house. We live in town but there is only a volunteer service and the two drivers were in Teton, about 10 miles away, that night. They both had to come into St. Anthony to get the ambulance. I also think they got a wee bit lost. But, nevertheless, they arrived and were here to take Trent to the hospital in Rexburg. By the time they were ready to load him, Trent seemed conscious and fully aware of what was happening. Later I would learn that he doesn't remember any of it - that is good. I DO!!!

At the Emergency Room the doctor checked him out thoroughly. Trent's blood pressure, heart rate, EKG, and blood work were all normal. That was a relief. It hadn't been a stroke or a heart attack. He spent a couple days being observed and running more tests including an EEG in Idaho Falls. He hated being there. There was a song in the 80s that said something about "57 channels and nothing's on." He found that to be true. We came home Monday evening with no answers as to why this had happened. On Wednesday the results of the EEG showed that it was probably not seizure related and that was also a big relief.

The thought now is that it is most likely associated with sleep apnea. Trent is scheduled for a sleep study on the 20th. I hope we get some answers then. I haven't slept since it happened. At first, every time I closed my eyes I saw the whole event replayed in my mind over and over like a movie I couldn't turn off. Then I wouldn't allow myself to fall asleep because I wouldn't hear him breathe or not breathe. Every time Trent, the poor guy, would move or jump or snore I was right there to poke him and ask if he was okay. I began dozing at times and would get so frustrated with myself for not being alert. Time does help heal heartache and wounds and fears. So, the last few days, I have dozed and slept until about 2:00. Even then I would begin to panic and then not get back to sleep. About 5:00 I'd begin panicking again, probably because that's about the time it happened. It really seems silly as I write about it but I have never been so scared. Trent keeps telling me not to worry and that it is really out of my control, which it is. Last night, I finally slept really well - until 2:00. But, I didn't panic and I went back to sleep after checking on him. Then I woke up again at 5:00. I listened again and went right back to sleep. My prayers again are being answered. I'm so grateful and the people around me should be, too. ha ha

I am also grateful for all the people who helped us. My parents were right there at the hospital. (Sorry I didn't call you but I was pretty occupied and not thinking clearly.) Trent's brother, Kendall, and sister ,Tracie, waited at the hospital the whole time we were in the ER without me knowing. They were brought in as he was being taken to his hospital "suite." Trent's parents came and spent the night and next day with the kids, keeping them occupied and happy. Then there are all the people who prayed for him and called and brought food. We are surrounded by so much love and support. What a blessing!

We are given experiences in life that help us grow, though we don't always like them. I have learned a great deal during this time. My testimony of prayer and the priesthood have been strengthened, again. I guess it has also given me strength for the next crisis that may or may not occur. I like the not option there. And, it is also good to be reminded of the tender mercies in our lives - like clear thoughts and family.

What Am I Passing On?

2009-10-03T18:16:00.006-06:00

Lately, being canning season, I've been thinking about all the valuable skills my mom taught me as a kid - things I needed and I use today. It got me thinking, "What skills am I teaching my girls?" I think they are more involved in life and activities than I was and they don't seem to have the time to sit at my feet ogling over my impressive talents. (Just kidding. There are very few talents, and most are not impressive.) But, I have begun to worry about this. I've totally neglected my motherly responsibilities.

Collin helped me make bread this week (he turned the KitchenAid on and "kneaded" the bread until it was smooth as silk) and it was really fun. The girls are really good at making brownies, Kraft Mac n' Cheese, and Ramen. But, seriously, could you feed a family on that? You could but it isn't recommended, I'm sure.

So, I've decided to make a conscious effort to get the girls involved in "homemaking" duties during this harvest vacation. The challenge: MAKE IT FUN! We have had fun. We've cleaned the garage, harvested the veggies out of the garden, cooked lots of things, and to top off all that fun we made blankets together. Whewww! The girls' families will not be cold.

The girls did a great job choosing material. The blankets totally match their personalities. They are changing so fast and the things they like are becoming so much more mature and less little girly. Darn. I miss those little girls. But, I sure adore these pre-teens.

Here is Katy knotting all the strips together. She worked so fast and so hard. Moose the Cat was an absolute pain. He kept attacking the cloth and annoying poor Katy. We locked him in their bedroom. I'm sure he rolled on the bed, leaving little black hairs everywhere, just to bug her.

Adri is very meticulous and liked her knots to be perfect. She asked me to go over them to make sure they were perfect. She worked hard, too.

And, then, ta-da, they were finished. McKenna's Beehive class had made her blanket last month. (Each month her Beehive class makes a blanket for a beehive.) What a great afternoon! It was so worth the time - mine and theirs.

Glad I Didn't Miss It

2009-09-19T18:45:00.005-06:00

This week I ran into a bit of a controversial situation - in my own head. I had to choose whether to go to McKenna's District Volleyball Championship or to the Literature Conference at BYU-I. I had registered for the conference several weeks ago without connecting that the two events fell upon the same day. (I hate putting myself into these kinds of spots but will continue to do so until I start using a planner or some sort of organizational device.) I decided to attend the conference rationalizing that I had seen McKenna's team play several times. They are fun to watch and they usually win. But, they were tied for 1st place in the district with two other teams and as luck (or non-Cougar loving organizers) would have it, our girls were put into the most awful bracket in the championship. It would most likely take some "divine intervention" for them to make it to the final game. So, going to the conference seemed like the logical thing to do.

Trent kept me posted through text messages and I silently cheered and celebrated as our girls moved up through the brackets and then was sure that the right choice had been made when they moved into the loser's bracket. I eagerly waited for the text that said the girls were out and then I would be able to breathe a sigh of relief and all guilt, from missing the games, would be swept away. But, what was unthinkable was the text that said the girls were headed to the championship game. They had beaten Salmon, lost to Shelley, beaten Teton, beaten Shelley, and now would be facing the dreaded Diggers of Sugar for the championship.

As I sat down in my seat for the final session of the conference, my dear friend leaned over and said, "Do you really want to miss the game?" I had come with her and knew that my leaving was going to force her to leave too. One more nudge from her and we were out the door and on our way to the game. I'm so glad I listened to her and she was willing to leave with me. I would never have forgiven myself for missing it.

McKenna is normally a front row player and doesn't serve often but her back row mate had gotten injured and so McKenna was doing the serving too. She had served 19 points in a row to help beat Salmon and was on a roll. But, what was most impressive was how these girls came together and played as a team - something that didn't always happen in the regular season. They beat Sugar in the tie breaker, which just happened to be Sugar's first loss. On to another game. Our girls had played, at his point, 13 straight games without a bye or a rest. Sugar had played 7. Our girls were so exhausted. They fought for every single point. Thank goodness for adrenaline! But, 3 games later our girls were victorious.

I wish I could express the joy I felt for them and the joy they were showing. It wasn't just a win but it was a win over Sugar which always is more sweet. What I can express is the happiness I felt to be there as my daughter played her heart out, fought through the fatigue, and truly was a member of a victorious and beautiful championship team. I'm so glad I didn't miss it!

Communication

2009-08-29T08:45:00.002-06:00

We definitely live in a time when people communicate much differently than they did when I was young. And when I was young people were complaining about how no one was communicating anymore - the telephone had ruined everything. I was walking with my friends, this summer, when we had this conversation and I've been contemplating it ever since. Do we really communicate less or is it just different?

For instance, I rarely talk to people -- outside work and family -- face to face. I'm not stuck-up or anything, just uncomfortable. I always greet people with a friendly smile or a quick hello but don't go into full communication mode at the grocery store very often. My grandparents' generation would meet on a neighbor's porch and talk for hours. That kind of freaks me out. But, give me a telephone and close friend or my mother-in-law on the other end, then I'll chat for hours.

That type of conversation only happens with people I'm close to. But, a new handy dandy conversation piece was introduced to me last winter. It's name is Facebook. Through Facebook I have made contact with people I haven't seen or heard from in over 20 years. Then, through instant chat, I have a full-fledged conversation with them. I've chatted with a "renewed" friend for 90 minutes before. I would never have done that face to face. I've even chatted with six friends at the same time before. We would never have been in the same place to do that personally or over the phone. These friends live in New York City, Seattle, and everywhere in between. It is way awesome. I "talk" with people using this form of communication everyday - people that I will never see or telephone.

Last night, my daughter who isn't into expressing her inner most feeling EVER, got onto Facebook while I was on Facebook. We had a good lengthy chat about boys. It was really fun. Though I would like her to, she would not have told me these things face to face. But, that little instant chat has opened a window for us and may even open a door to her actually looking me in the eye and talking.

So, I think I've reached a decision. I communicate more now than I did before, it's just different. And, I think it is good.

Simple Pleasures

2009-08-11T20:50:00.007-06:00

Here is my list of simple pleasures. I've named it that because the list consists of things that don't take a lot of effort but bring me a lot of joy. Today I was thinking about these happy things while hanging out with the kids and a cousin.

Simple Pleasure #1 Fun Family - especially cousins this week. We've had so much fun with Kendrick here. My kids have tried to show him the "redneck" lifestyle. I didn't think we were rednecks. Kendrick probably does. We love to be with our cousins - even if it means huckleberrying in the woods!

Simple Pleasure #2 Gardens that Grow. This growing season we have really had the produce. I've never thought too highly of my green thumb (outside raspberries) or horse manure but combine them together and it is beautiful!

Simple Pleasure #3 Glorious Giggles. I used to think the sound of babies giggling was music to my ears. But, my favorite sound in the world is the hysterical laughing of my now older children when they are truly having fun.

Simple Pleasure #4 Super Summer Vacation. I'm so grateful that I changed my major from accounting to education so that I could have the summers to spend with my children. We have so much fun. I always plan to clean the house and catch up on all the things I pushed aside during the school year but it never happens. We like to play too much.

Simple Pleasure #5 Small Towns. I love walking down the road and waving to the people I know or waving at the people I don't know. I love talking to people at the grocery store everytime I go. I love sending my kids out for walks with the dog and not worrying about their safety. And I love that people are always watching out for my kids while they are out and about.

Simple Pleasure #6 Rivers. I'm not sure that I even knew that there were rivers around me growing up. How did I miss all this fun? What were my parents thinking? I love the sounds, the look, and the feel of the river. I don't like the taste.

Just a small list but hey, my thoughts are pretty small.

Summer Vacation Time

2009-08-01T09:44:00.005-06:00

Sometime during the early spring, the Grant family set out to plan a reunion trip to the Oregon Coast. We have looked forward to it since the moment it was finalized. So, on Saturday, July 18, we began the LONG car ride to Oceanside, Oregon. We had never been there and had no idea what to expect. We had explained to the kids that the water would be cold and the temperatures would be mildly warm at best. No one seemed to care - WE WERE GOING TO THE BEACH!

The drive was so much fun. Once you get out of Idaho (which was 108 degrees) and past the ugly (couldn't think of a better word to describe it) landscape of eastern Oregon the view is gorgeous. We had a great time in The Gorge. The Columbia River is beautiful and wide and big. I have found something I'd like to try - wind surfing. We saw hundreds of surfers on the river. When I'm bored with kayaking I'll try that. We stopped at Multnomah Falls and Bonneville Dam. That was it, though. We wanted to get to the BEACH! And we did with plenty of time to walk -with our jackets on - in the gale force winds. We may have needed our winter coats. And, why did we take up room with our swimming suits? BURR! By late evening everyone arrived and had settled into the awesome beach house which would be our home for the next week.

The next morning, 5:30 to be exact, we went out to look at tide pools. Katy and Trent stayed behind sleeping. Once we had arrived at the pools I wished I had dragged them out. Starfish, anemone, sea stars, shells, mussels, barnacles and rocks were everywhere. We, of course, touched them all. SPECTACULAR!!! We found a hole in the rocks to climb through that would lead us to more beaches and more beauty. We decided to do that the next day.

During the day we went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Tillamook cheese is cheaper here in Broulim's than there, by the way. You can't believe how much cheese is going through there every day. After several trips through the sample line and ice cream cones, we were off to Cape Mears. The fog was too dense to see anything, but we can say we've climbed a lighthouse now. Sometimes you can see whales out in the ocean from there. We saw fog. A short walk took us to the Octopus Tree. Pretty funky. Then we were off to the "secret beach" which isn't that big of a secret because there is a stairway from a little parking area that goes down to the beach. I think a lot of people go there.

Later it was sandcastle building time. Check out the jackets. I gave up and left because it was freezing. The cold didn't seem to dampen the spirits of these castle makers. Aunt Susan was the expert - she had read all about it in a book. They stayed out forever.

Since watching the movie "Kindergarten Cop" I have wanted to visit Astoria. We weren't too far away and I wasn't about to pass up the chance. It is soooo cute. Trent and I had planned to go (it was our 20th anniversary) and decided to invite anyone along. Grandpa, Collin, McKenna, and Adri tagged along. Katy wanted to stay behind with the cousins. A friend of mine, who lives in Astoria, had emailed me and told me to visit the Columbia River Maritime Museum. It sounded interesting and so we went. We loved it. So glad I didn't skip that suggestion. Across the street from the museum is a boat on a trailer. It is home to the best fish and chips I have ever eaten. Two women make it in this squishy kitchen. The fish is fresh tuna. Doesn't taste at all like canned tuna and is pretty mild. That was a fun memory. I wanted to visit Fort Clatsop, the winter quarters of Lewis and Clark. Grandpa was pretty tired and so we drove through the parking lot. That is my only regret of the whole vacation.

Clamming. Done it. Remember it. Don't need to do it again. Gross. Yucky. Stinky. Sick. Ugly. Those are words to describe this adventure. But, the boys, Carly, and Kenna loved it. We went to Netarts Bay which smells of sewage ponds when the tide is out. The sand is black and slimy from the decaying "stuff" that lies at the bottom of the bay. That is really a pleasant description of it. Then, Kenna and Tanner cleaned them all - 87. Did they taste better than other clams? Nope. I'll take the clam strips at Skippers anyday. The crab that was caught tasted pretty good. The next morning, Kendall's family and McKenna headed out to do it again.

Collin received a skim board for his birthday. The beach was the perfect place to practice. He started getting the hang of it. After a few pointers by the "pros" he was even better. Perhaps we need to go back so he can practice. I think that's a good idea.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport was quite interesting. We found two very unusual crabs in the gift shop. lol. Grandma spent most of her time looking at the jellyfish. We enjoyed the sea lion demonstration and the cute otters. The otters gave us some great tips for cleaning clams.

Trent and I spent the day with the girl cousins - all four of them. A detour to Yaquina Head found the stinkiest birds ever. But, best of all, we found seals just hanging out and relaxing on the rocks inside a cove. They were delightful to watch. What a great life they have! Ahh to be a seal. After seal watching we went outlet shopping. Poor Trent waited at the car forever. We were gone a long time. He is so patient.

A big family hike turned out to be three people. Trent, Mom, and I hiked to Lookout Point. It was 4.8 miles of gorgeous greenery and beautiful blue water. I don't think I have ever seen anything so pleasing. We could see forever. We reached the point just in time; as we were heading back the fog rolled in and covered the point. Not much of a view after that.

A final pirate treasure hunt ended the fun at the beach. Clues were hidden under rocks, in drift wood, in the tunnel and sand. The treasure: more junk food and crazy glasses. FUN TIMES!

One week after arriving we headed home. I have talked to several friends who are amazed that all 18 of us could live together in one house for one week and still be friends. We are. We loved it. We had fun. Was it all we had imagined? Yes. It was that and more. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa. We will treasure these memories forever.

Time Together

2009-07-10T08:21:00.006-06:00

The rain has finally stopped. It rained nearly every day in June and so we couldn't go kayaking too often. But, yesterday, despite it being a little chilly we all went. Sherri Creer is my kayaking buddy and she is always ready. Adrienne hasn't enjoyed kayaking very much and so this was her first time this year. It took some convincing to get her to come but once she got on the water she was hooked.

Chester Dam is a whimpy run but it is very relaxing and easy for beginners. That's where we like to take our new "victims."

When we started out it was just a bit cloudy but after awhile the weather grew warmer and warmer and it was absolutely perfect.

My favorite part was being with the girls. We wished Collin could have come but we couldn't convince him that being with all that estrogen was going to be fun. They giggled and smiled the whole way down. Katy and McKenna tried to do the "Pocahontas" most of the way. They have great balance.

When we go kayaking it is always with someone else. I think that is why I love it so much. Whether you're with a newbie, an old buddy, or family, kayaking builds good memories.

In All of Living...

2009-06-28T23:42:00.006-06:00

One of my favorite quotes from Gordon B. Hinckley is, "In all of living have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." I love to laugh and have fun and have tried to teach my children to do the same. We are far from perfect. We argue, tease, torment, and do all those things that bring contention into our home. But, Trent and I also try to do activities that will build great family memories and provide for much "fun and laughter." So, this last weekend we took a trip to the Lewis and Clark Caverns in Montana. It took nearly three hours to get there. Seems like a long way to go just so we could hike in some cave. But, we had a great time getting there.

Once we got there, we had a small wait for our tour guide. Notice more laughing. The girls aren't sick to their stomachs. They are doubled over in fits of laughter. We noticed a large rattlesnake warning sign. If I had seen a rattlesnake, the tour would have ended for me. Luckily, no snakes were on the 3/4 mile hike up to the cave. The view of the Jefferson River valley is beautiful. I wonder what it looked like when Lewis and Clark passed by. Oh, yeah, those two explorers never saw the cave. Teddy Roosevelt just named it in their honor. And, when did Collin grow taller than me?

The cave is beautiful inside. There are 600 steps that go down - luckily you don't have to climb back up them. It is about 2 miles long inside and takes roughly 2 hours to get through. Some of the passageways are very narrow, some are very short, and some are down right dangerous when wet. We had to do some bobbing and weaving to make it through a few of them. Inside each "room" the formations were spectacular. There are so many colors and interesting things to see. It was awesome!

Leaving the cave was almost blinding. When the doors first opened, I thought, "Go toward the light." After our eyes adjusted we enjoyed the 3/4 mile walk back to the parking lot. It wasn't uphill. That was nice.

We enjoyed a lovely picnic below the cave. Don't you just love it when people take your picture and your mouth is full of food?

I made the kids pose for pictures next to this cute little stream that runs down the mountian. At least they look like they are happy and having a good time.

We stopped in Virginia City on the way home and had homemade ice cream and played at the Gypsy Arcade. The ice cream was delicious and the arcade was hilarious.

I think we accomplished what we set out to do. McKenna posted on her facebook page that she spent the day hiking in a cave and being with her family and that it was "way fun." I think that is a good way to sum up the day. Can't wait for the next adventure.

One Day of Escape

2009-06-15T17:48:00.004-06:00

Trent made arrangements for us to take one day and escape. We had so much fun - which always makes it hard to return home. We left the kids home and I knew they were looking forward to our return - haha.

I used our pictures and tried to make a movie using Picasa. I'll get better. I am having so much fun with that program.

Summer hike #1 - Golden Lake in Harriman (and my first attempt at collages)

2009-06-13T08:23:00.010-06:00

Rain or not, I was determined to do something with the kids this week. I have been so busy helping my sister paint her "new" house that I haven't been able to spend time with them at all. So, on Thursday we went hiking with the cousins. Thanks for letting us tag along, Sus! It was raining when we left. However, when we got to Harriman it had stopped and the conditions were perfect. The hike was about four miles and we had a blast. I don't think we heard a single complaint along the way.

The first of the hike was along the road used for service vehicles in the park. We had to walk through the horse pasture. The horses must have thought that we had come to "round them up" because they walked right up to us. My kids were nervous at first - being city folk and all. But, they quickly warmed up to them. They pet them and let the horses nibble grass right out of their hands. That was Katy's favorite part of the hike. After that it was just a regular old hike out to the lake.

Once we reached the lake it was time for lunch. What can be better than lunch, lakeside, with the cousins?

The returning part of the hike was through the forest on a little trail. Everything is so green because of the rain. All around us the clouds were gathering so we moved fast. Across the lake we could see the rains moving down the mountain. On the lake we saw a huge flock (what do you call it?) of pelicans getting ready to weather the storm. But toward the end of the hike, right beside us, a moose pulled up out of the grass. He stared at us and we stared at him until we all felt safe to move on. That was another highlight.

Since we had already paid for parking in State parks for the day, we ventured over to Mesa Falls. WOW!!! So much water. So much green. Sure glad we went. And still, no rain! Sure glad we took that little side trip.

The hike was a success. Katy and Adri liked it so much that they went hiking the next day. Glad they enjoy it because we plan to go somewhere new in two weeks. If you want to come along just let me know. We'd love to have you.

June Flowers

2009-06-13T08:06:00.008-06:00

Not being able to kayak has left me kind of down in the dumps. The rains keep pouring and pouring. If I didn't know better, I'd think we had moved to Seattle. So, I've had to think of positives that have come from all of this rain - besides the usuals (filling the resevoirs, reducing my water bill, blah, blah, blah). So while thinking I was checking out the flower beds, wondering if they were going to float away. What I found were gorgeous blossoms. My flowers have never looked so good. I found my positive. I'm sure they won't look like this next year so I took pictures.

Vanity

2009-06-08T22:26:00.003-06:00

I was thinking today about how vane we can be - especially as girls or women. My kids don't care what they look like when they go out. It doesn't matter if their hair is messy or greasy. They aren't persuaded to stay home if they are wearing purple striped pants and an orange plaid shirt. They aren't interested in it. That will change soon. They have almost reached the age that the vanity switch turns on.
My switch is definitely on. I have been painting at my sister's new house. I have been wearing a most unflattering, mismatched, but perfect painting outfit. I always wipe my fingers off on my clothes which has made it splattered in various shades of paint. After I had finished on Saturday, Trent and I decided to go get a snack at the grocery store. I wouldn't go in because my clothes were "ugly." Later I realized how ridiculous this was. IF anyone had taken notice of what I was wearing they would have thought, "Oh, she must be painting. I bet that's fun." Instead, I sat in the car, alone, waiting.
During this softball season we have watched the vanity of teenaged girls at work. The umpires who work at the games are high school girls and they do a fine job. But, they cannot be persuaded to wear a face mask. Why? It will mess up their hair or ruin their makeup. It is torture for the spectators as we watch balls whiz past their heads or hit them in the chest, arms, or backs. Two weeks ago, the umpire at our Rexburg game took a foul ball to the face and suffered the consequences for her vanity - two broken teeth, black eyes, and an enormously fat lip. In my opinion, she looked better with a mask.
Today, the umpire at a game (who, coincidentally, has been hit a couple of other times) was hit by a foul tip off the bat. She now has eight stitches in her head. Her cute little hairdo is being squashed by a roll of hot pink bandage wrapped around and around and around her head. She would have looked better in a mask, too.
Silly what we do and can lose all because of vanity. I hope I can encourage my girls to keep their vanity switch in the off position as long as possible. It is much less complicated - and less painful.

Sweet 16

2009-05-31T21:59:00.004-06:00

Can you say that about a boy? Collin turned 16 today. He is a sweet boy. I can't believe that he has been around that long. The day before he was born I spoke in Sacrament Meeting. We had just moved to a new ward and so I told them I was due to have a baby in a couple weeks. Afterward, several of the older ladies came up and said, "Oh honey, you won't have that baby for at least a month." That statement and the fear of speaking must have caused too much stress because that next morning he arrived.

I remember bringing him home from the hospital, holding him in my arms, and wondering, "What do I do now?" Well, we seemed to have figured it out ok, doing well at some things and not so well at others. But together we are figuring it out. He is a great kid! In his honor I've decided to write "16 Great Things About Collin."

1. Full of energy - zoom, zoom, zoom. He doesn't stayed bored for too long.

2. Has never needed a lot of sleep - not so bad now but at 1 and 3 years old this was difficult.

3. Always wakes up cheery - no matter how little sleep he has had.

4. Champion of the underdog.

5 Smart - but doesn't want too many people to know it.

6. Very dependable - and I love that he has his driver's license and can be counted on to help.

7. Star saxophonist - if you haven't heard him you should. The tongue slap is way cool!

8. Positive influence - high school vice-principal is always assuring me of this. Whew!

9. Funny - I think he's funny. His sisters think he's weird.

10. Adventurous - i.e. scuba diving, kayaking, white-water rafting.

11. Great conversationalist - he always has something to talk about and will with anyone.

12. Hard worker.

13. Loves his grandparents - and so respectful of them.

14. Has a strong testimony of the Gospel.

15. An amazing and broad imagination - remember when I thought he didn't have one at all, Trent?

16. A shoulder of support for anyone who needs it.

So, happy birthday Buddy. We sure love you and are grateful to have you in our lives. Thanks for all you do to make our family happy and fun.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt

2009-05-26T21:02:00.011-06:00

We decided to go to Yellowstone early this year. So, we went on Sunday. Yes, we skipped out on church and I felt guilty the entire time. I worried that there would be way too much traffic but I think it was just perfect. I'm sure the southern loop would have been crazy but we were on a bear hunt and heading to the North.

Our first adventure was a hike around the Norris Geyser Basin. We wanted to wait for Steamboat Geyser (the highest erupting geyser) but considering it hadn't erupted since 2005 we reconsidered and moved on.

Collin is always good for a great conversation. He is either trying to rid the world of zombies (and preparing for the battle) or explaining the origins of philosphy in molecular physics (whatever that is). He is funny. If his ipod isn't in his ears, he is talking. Sure love that boy.

Adri and Katy hate their pictures taken and so I have to take it whenever I get the chance - no matter what the face is. Katy is so funny. She is always making us laugh. Adri is much more serious and quiet. Do you think they look alike? I realized today that many of their friends can't tell them apart and adults rarely can. They are absolutely delightful and beautiful. McKenna, though not pictured, was off doing the "pony dance" down the trail. We love her too.

Right in the center of this picture is a rabbit. He was so cute! It was the first real wildlife that we had seen. We don't count bison because they are everywhere. Still, we were on a bear hunt and this rabbit was definitely not a bear so we kept hunting.

We got delayed by a couple lifeflight helicopters that landed at the intersection. We enjoyed a nice picnic on the road while the accident was cleared. After an hour and a half wait, we were back on the road.

We enjoyed the elk at Mammoth and the FIVE bears that we saw along the way. All of them were black bears and two of them were really close. One was so intent on eating its baby elk that it didn't even notice the 50 people watching him about 50 yards away. That was pretty cool to watch.

Our last stop was near Mount Washburn where there is still 6 feet of snow next to the road. The view was absolutely spectacular. The snow made us appreciate the green grass that needs to be mowed and the garden that will need to be weeded.

We had a great time, a ton of laughs, and lots of fun memories. Can't wait to go again. Maybe we'll go on a moose hunt next.

Tasty Tuesday

2009-05-19T16:19:00.002-06:00

Spaghetti Pie

6 oz. spaghetti

2 Tbsp. butter

2 beaten eggs

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 c. cottage cheese

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 lb. ground beef or pork sausage

2 c. favorite spaghetti sauce (homemade or canned)

Cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain, should have about 3 cups. Stir butter into hot spaghetti; stir in beaten eggs and Parmesan cheese. Form spaghetti mixture into a "crust" in a greased 10 inch pie plate. Spread with cottage cheese. Brown meat and onion. Drain off fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce; heat through. Turn meat mixture into spaghetti crust. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese; bake until melted, about 5 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

DELICIOUS!!!!!

Tasty Tuesday (on Wednesday)

2009-05-13T18:59:00.003-06:00

So, we didn't have power last night - until 2:30 a.m. and I couldn't post my recipe. So, here it is on Wednesday. I'm sure that it'll be tasty any day of the week. Trent and I love it. We think the kids do.

All-American Turkey Burgers

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup ketchup

1 clove garlice, minced

1/8 tsp. pepper

Cook on the grill or in a frying pan. Combine all ingredients and form into patties (about 3 1/2 inches in diameter). This recipe makes 4 patties.

I love these burgers almost more than I love beef burgers. Yummy!

Finally It Is Ready

2009-04-29T23:34:00.003-06:00

After much packing, purging, packing, chucking, packing, purging, and unpacking my new classroom is finally ready for occupancy. I will begin teaching there tomorrow. I'm so excited. Twenty-five students will arrive, eagerly seeking a new room. I'm sure that there will be very little learning happening. So, (drum roll please) I introduce MY NEW CLASSROOM!

This is the LONG hall to my room. Once you get through this hall you have to walk through the entry, down the old hall and finally to the front doors to go to recess or to the gym for lunch and P.E. We will all be a little healthier by the end of the school year. But, it is bright and smells like fresh paint and new carpet!
My favorite part is my office right in the back of the room. It has a lot of storage and most of it is empty. I haven't accumulated enough, yet, to fill it up.

My soft, squishy office chair fits perfect in the office. Now I don't have to share it with kids because... NO KIDS ALLOWED! That white board on the floor will be mounted on the wall there sometime. Why? Because it can't go anywhere else. My own children will be able to draw pictures on it.

This is what you see when you first walk in. The door on the right is to my office. The superintendent said the current furniture now looks ugly and so we can all expect new desks or tables by Fall. The best part? Those big windows straight ahead that offer plenty of sunlight and can be opened for fresh air. Didn't have that in the old room.

Right inside the door is this washing station. It evens comes with hot water. Now we can wash away even more germs. By next Fall it will be equipped with a drinking spout.

The coat cubbies are around the corner from the doorway so no one will have to step on coats or backpacks or boots or snowpants to come in. What a bonus. The cubbies are bigger and can hold more "stuff" during the winter.

The computer center is nicely tucked over on the side of the room. Next Fall it will have five brand new 20" flat screen monitors. That will be nice. The counter is too high and so the students will sit on stools instead of chairs. That's ok because I will be able to tuck them neatly under the counter.

This can be called the "Center of our Universe." I love the magnetic whiteboard that doesn't have permanent black clouds on it. However, I can't use tape or ticky tack on the board. I've made a ton of magnets instead. Do you love the TV stand hanging in the top left hand corner? Someday it'll have a TV in it. Until then Curious George and the Construction Ducks call it home.

That's the tour. There are many things that aren't ready yet such as there are no phones or communication devises in the new wing. We are using cell phones for now. And hopefully the computers will be ready by Friday. The office is a million miles away but that will keep me out of the candy cupboard. It is almost a two block walk to the gym and to recess but by the time we get there the kids will be all warmed up and ready to go. When we walk back they will be so worn out they'll just want to sit. But, we are so grateful for this new building and the space that it provides. Can't wait for total completion next Fall.

A Day of Thanks

2009-04-29T22:29:00.008-06:00

Adrienne Grant, age 11

Blowing out the candles while the cousins look on.

Kathrynn Grant, age 11
What would we do without Grandma's cakes to put candles on?

Adri and Katy
aka The Twins, Twinners, Girlies, Kadri

I spent the day thinking about the twins. Adi and Katy turned 11 years old. They have been so excited for their birthday to come. I'm always excited for their birthday to come - just wasn't so excited about their "birth day." This is the day that I reflect on that day.

Looking at the twins today - tall, happy, healthy, active - you would never imagine what their beginning was like. As I was sorting laundry, eleven years ago today, I felt what I assumed were fake labor pains. I was almost 27 weeks along in a pregnancy that had been full of surprises, especially the announcement that we were having twins. I had never had any kind of fake labor with the other pregnancies so I didn't question them. But, after about two hours and the pain increasing to the point that I couldn't walk, I decided to visit the doctor. Trent met me at the hospital and we were immediately put on the monitor. My greatest fears were realized when the doctor told us that the twins were on their way. There was nothing we could do to stop them. So, arrangements were made to send the twins, after delivery, to Primary Children's Hospital. Two helicopters made their way to the hospital in Soda Springs and then rushed our two little girls away. I was able to see, hear and touch Katy but only caught a brief glimpse of Adri (all blue) before they were taken away. Each girl weighed in at just under 2 pounds. Their heads were smaller than my fist and their arms were so skinny that Trent's wedding ring fit up to their shoulders. For nearly two months they fought for life. They received a marvelous blessing from their grandpa that promised them they would run and play just like all the other kids. People all over the world prayed for them daily. And we waited and watched in awe as they grew and surprised us all once again with their strength and ability to defy the odds.

Today we have two beautiful happy girls that "run and play just like all the other kids." And so today, as I do every year, I say thank you to many people. Thanks to a wise doctor who knew he was way over his head and sent our girls to doctors and staff with the knowledge to help them. Thanks to family and friends around the world who prayed for them with great faith. Thanks to a dear husband who lifted and supported me in my rollercoaster of emotions (we were good together) and gave a blessing to a tiny baby girl before she left in a helicopter. Thanks to an unknown "Elder" who answered the call to give a stranger's baby girl a priesthood blessing away from home. Thanks for another priesthood blessing that I put all my trust and faith in. Thanks to two older children who somehow understood that I was needed somewhere else and have forgiven me for not being with them that summer. Thanks to our parents who sacrificed so much to help us then and for years to come. Thanks to two baby girls who fought for every single breath for weeks and every single pound for months. And thanks to my Father in Heaven who brought these two bundles of joy into our lives in such an unusual but marvelous way and answered all of our prayers.

Happy birthday Girlies!!!!!!
We LOVE you.

Tasty Tuesday

2009-04-27T21:10:00.002-06:00

Shaggy Tigers

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded carrots
1/2 c. shredded potatoes
2 Tbsp. chopped onions
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cream of mushroom or tomato soup

Mix and form into patties. Brown, and top with mushroom or tomato soup. Cook in 300 degree oven for 1/2 hour. Serve with rice. Use soup as gravy for the rice.

A Busy Time of Life

2009-04-21T23:01:00.002-06:00

I feel like I am rushing around, never stopping, and not accomplishing anything. We recently were told that we had to move out of our classrooms and into our new classrooms. I'm so excited for the new rooms. They are beautiful and with all the stuff I don't have, they should continue to be beautiful. But, this will happen this week and next. We were planning for the end of May. The move has also bumped up our state testing, which everything hinges on. Three weeks shouldn't make that much difference but it does. Along with all the other chaos, rumors, wars, and rumors of wars within the district I am thoroughly stressed out.

The fun thing has been purging my room. I inherited the room and the stuff that came with it. Today I threw out 5 garbage cans of stuff. I don't really know what else to call it. I've given away over a hundred books to the kids - not used so much in the classroom. I've given away posters, including 3 Presidential posters that ended with George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Figured those could go. I found beakers and test tubes (with dried up spiders) and many other things that brought quizzical glances from the students. I also catalogued all the books I've purchased - 386 of them. I truly can say that my room is dejunked. If I haven't used it in 4 years and I haven't heard of the teacher whose name appears on it, toss it out. That's been a good rule for me. I hope some of my fellow teachers can adopt this same philosophy.

So, when all this stress has passed and I am organized, you are all welcome to come see my new room. It should be a breath of fresh air.

Oh, and I forgot Tasty Tuesdays. Sorry Summer!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-04-14T19:50:00.005-06:00

A friend of mine started a Tasty Tuesday idea. All you have to do is blog a recipe that someone else might want to try.

Tuesdays at my house are obnoxiously busy. So, I'm always trying to find something quick, fast, and light for dinner. Here is one that not only fits the requirements but is also very cheap.

Skillet Beef N'Noodles

2 pkg Ramen Beef Flavored Noodles

1 lb ground beef

1 med onion, chopped

1 can Tomato Soup

1/2 can water

1 tsp. prepared mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

generous dash pepper

grated Parmesan cheese

Prepare noodles according to package. Add seasoning packets, drain off most of the liquid. Set aside. Cook onion and ground beef until browned and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in tomato soup, water, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Reduce heat to low. Add noodles. Heat through, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese.

The Marriage Secret

2009-04-06T20:41:00.006-06:00

I don't read many comics but I do enjoy Pickles. I find it very funny. I don't know if it is at all relevent because I haven't reached that stage in life, yet. Maybe I like it because I love to watch the older couples that live in my ward and live in my little world. I've learned a lot about marriage from them. (I think that the Pickles family could learn a thing or two from these couples, also.) One Sunday, a few years ago, I was sitting in Relief Society next to a wonderful older lady. She told me that they were celebrating their anniversary that week. We figured out that our anniversaries were on the same day, just 55 years apart. We talked about how successful her marriage was and what she thought the secret was. She said, "We have always taken care of each other. " She died a few months later. Now her husband sits quietly alone, waiting for the day that he will be able to take care of her again.

My neighbors have been married for eons. I'm not sure how old they are but they are both around 90. One day, during a lesson on marriage, they said the secret to their marriage was doing the dishes together each night and taking care of one another. In November, the husband fell and broke his hip. He spent nearly two months in a rehabiliation center. His wife stayed with him, sleeping in a reclining chair every night. I asked her why she didn't come home. She said, "I've got to take care of him." He just smiled. Well, it has been another month and a half and he is still unable to get around well on his own. When I visit he tells me the things she does for him and talks about how good she is at "taking care of me."

Well, yesterday, the wife fell outside their home and broke her arm. This is the arm that helps him up from bed, to the walker, to the wheelchair, and to the recliner he sits in. When I visited today I asked, "How will you help him if you have a bum arm?" She smiled as he said, "Well, I guess I finally get to take care of her." Then they both giggled.

Spring! Bah-hum-bug

2009-03-29T22:20:00.006-06:00

There are many reasons why I live in this frozen north, but not one of them is the Spring season. I hate Spring in Eastern Idaho. It is totally the pits. Spring seems to give us just a little taste to get our hopes up and then BAM! it throws a kink in your psyche and you become depressed. Today was one of those days. The pictures prove it. What I wouldn't give to live in Hawaii during the Spring months. (OK. I'd probably live there anytime.) I hope Summer comes soon. It's all I've got to look forward to - weather wise.

This is the view out my front window. When I lay down for my Sunday nap there wasn't any snow on the ground. When I woke up I was in a new land - like the North Pole.

The snow drifts at our front door were high enough that it could only open it a little ways. The drift in the driveway forced us to stay in and not return the Red Box movie that was due. This is how it is supposed to look in December, not the last three days of March.

I guess it is just one of those days that will make me stronger - physically. I've got to go shovel.

Worth the Hearing Loss

2009-03-22T15:41:00.002-06:00

Being an Idol fan and a mom desiring to build good memories, I had the great fortune of getting tickets to the David Archuleta concert held in the Civic Auditorium in Idaho Falls. We were very lucky because the tickets sold out in about eight minutes. We also got a ticket for our Aunt Tracie. Adrienne and Kathrynn were very excited and McKenna was very upset that I would make her go. No one was too happy to stand in line at 4:30 for will call tickets. The concert started at 8:00. Time went by fairly fast. The 3 hours didn't seem longer than 2 and a half hours. j/k We ate Subway sandwiches and candy (from Tracie) and played little games (also provided by Tracie). We finally got to our seats about 7:45. It began at 8:00 with an opening act that probably caused severe hearing loss. It wasn't so good but it made time go by fast.

Finally at 9:05. David took the stage. Every teeny-bopper in the room began to scream (very high pitched screams, I might add) when he sang his first song. For the next hour and fifteen minutes he sang and we enjoyed being there. I loved watching Adri scream, just like the others, Katy sing every word to every song (and almost cry when he sang "Angel" in the encore), and McKenna bopping and dancing along to the music. We had such a great time. My ears didn't ring nearly as long as I thought they would but the memories will last even longer.

Robin's Needs

2009-03-09T19:45:00.003-06:00

Ok, I saw this idea on Facebook and thought it was funny. Enter into the google search bar your name and the word "needs" and then see what pops up. So, I entered "Robin needs" and these are the first ten things that popped up. Some of them really applied in my life right now while others were just silly.

1. Robin needs ... help going downhill. (True, I've always wanted to but I'm afraid I'll crash and die.)
2. Robin needs ... about 40 calories a day. (Aha moment. That's why I keep gaining weight.)
3. Robin needs ... your help. (If you are interested in cleaning my carpet or doing the ironing just let me know.)
4. Robin needs ... a hot blog goof. (What the heck? How am I even supposed to know what that is?)
5. Robin needs ... consoling. (Those 2nd graders are killing me right now.)
6. Robin needs ... you. (I always need my family and friends.)
7. Robin needs ... to get a clue. (No duh!)
8. Robin needs ... to find the meaning of ? ( I don't know. That's just what it said.)
9. Robin needs ... some sleep. (Daylight Savings is the pits.)
10. Robin needs ... a tune up. (Probably has to do with the excess calories I'm taking in - gotta stick with the 40.)

Tee Hee. Give it a try.

"What the heck?"

2009-03-07T22:03:00.006-07:00

Seriously, how could I possibly pass up a beauty like this. This is almost exactly what mine looks like. Ya baby!

"What the heck?" That's the first thing that came out of my kids' mouths when they saw the old record player I had been given at school. I have been looking for one for awhile, but not hard enough to find one. I haven't wanted to buy one so that made the search a little more difficult. But, on Thursday, after school, I just happened to walk into the office at the exact moment that another teacher was asking our principal what to do with an old, ugly, and dusty record player that had come with her room. He said she could find someone to take it or give it to DI. I was so excited. "Pick me! Pick me!" I hollered while waving my arm in the air (a technique I've picked up from 2nd graders). Since I was the only one interested, I got it - much to my husband's dismay, I think. We didn't even know if it worked but lucky for all of us it does. It has a great sound (for a record player) and can play at four different speeds. The kids have loved that.

The girls asked some interesting questions about it. "What does it do?" "Is it a giant CD player?" "Did everyone have one of these?" "Could you carry it around with you?" "Where does the sound come from?" "Why does it sound so scratchy?" I tried to explain how it worked as best as I could. I told them about the hot pink record player my sister and I had. I told them about the Disney books on record and the many Donny and Marie albums I listened to. I wish I had been more careful and kept them. I'm sure they would have loved the Osmonds. Instead, we only had four records of E.B. White reading Charlotte's Web and one Bing Crosby singing Teddy Bear Picnic. Neither one was very exciting. We turned to Grandma, the woman who keeps everything.

Grandma had lots of records and we brought about half the pile home. The kids have had a blast listening to old Beach Boys, Herb Alpert and the Tiajuana Brass, Eddy Arnold, and even John Wayne speak-singing ten very interesting songs, and many more. (Why weren't my parents into Bread, Chicago, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Mamas and the Papas, and Creedance Clearwater Revival? All they liked was country and not the cool country of today.) But the kids have listened anyway. They've tried songs at various speeds making the same song have four very distinctive sounds - Wizard of Oz Lollipop Guild fast, normal, just-been-to-the-dentist slurred-speech slow, and Las Vegas exotic dancer slow. Tee Hee we've had fun. If it quit working today, we will have gotten a lifetime of fun from it already.

Now if I could only find an 8 Track player. That would be awesome!

Irritating Things

2009-03-01T09:08:00.002-07:00

Okay, so I'm not feeling well. Half of my class, at school, has been sick and I think that I have caught every bug they shared. Thanks. Who said sharing was good for you? Anyway, I'm sick and thus I am quite grumpy. It got me thinking about the things that bug me. Here are ten. Normally, I couldn't think of more than three but I'm pretty ornery. Ten will be a piece of cake.

1. I hate it when people call on the phone after 10:00 pm and before 7:00 am. Don't these people sleep? And, have they forgotten that other people do sleep? Calls between those hours are reserved for emergencies. Don't cause me that kind of panic.

2. I dislike it when people park their grocery carts in the middle of the isle and don't have the common courtesy of moving it out of the way for you. Come on. Do you park your car in the middle of the road? Pull over man.

3. I don't like litter-bugs. What do you think a garbage can is for? I have actually never seen anyone throw their McDonald's bags out of a car window but it must happen often because there is so much trash along the road. Why is it so hard to keep it in your car until you get home?

4. I hate it when kids lie to me. You can always tell. Even worse, I hate it when their parents teach them how or defend their behavior. UGGHH!

5. I hate it when the snow lasts too long. Snow after April is just too much. And the snow should stay away until November. There is just no place for snow during those months.

6. I really dislike it when people say mean things to each other. Come on people. The world is a tough enough place as it is. We don't need to be tearing each other down. As Thumper's mother says, "If you can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all." Can you imagine what the world would be like if we each said one less negative thing each day?

7. I hate pop-ups on my computer. If I wanted information about those sights I would have searched for it myself. I have a pop-up thingy right now that won't go away. I've done everything to get rid of it. It is making me crazy.

8. I hate being sick. I don't like to sit around resting very often. I figure I'll have time for that when I'm older. Right now, while I have the energy, I've got to get things done. So, when I'm sick it puts a real damper in my style and a kink in my plans. And it makes me angry.

9. I hate that some people think school is a free day-care. Too often the parent says, when their child is sick at school, "Well, what will I do with them. I've got things to do today." Or they get mad when school is canceled. Hello! It's school and I'm not a babysitter. If I were babysitting the kids, I'd get paid a lot more than I am now; we'd have snack time; and we'd watch movies/tv everyday.

10. I hate being grumpy. I really dislike focusing on negative things, so when I'm feeling better I'm going to blog about the things I like.