McConnell Mid-Life

"Oh, that's right.....I have a blog..."

2012-01-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

So here's the thing. I have excuses....I really do. But let's not even go there. Instead let me just tell you all that's happened in the last months. I will call it:

"Stuff that happened during November and December"

1.We found out that Kit is preggo! Alrighty then! Another "sweet" to kiss on! So I flew home for awhile to help the barfing mother-to-be. De-lightful! (except the barfing part...that was not delightful, but spending time with the sweets was really, really delightful.)

2. A few weeks later, we drove back to Utah for Thanksgiving with the McConnell Clan! YEEHAW! What a party! Ben came home from his mission the day before, and Levi came home from Kansas, too. Almost the entire Bransford group was in attendance....as well as a bunch of preggo and un-preggo cousins. (This year will be fruitful....just sayin.) It was great. We ate turkey.

3. Back in the Spring, they asked the DPR and I to be in charge of our ward Christmas Party. At the time it seemed like the right thing was to say "sure"....come the 1st of December, we were saying....."why-o-why"....but it came off without a hitch and ended up being so great! I wish I had pictures to prove the greatness...but alas, I was doing many other things that night other than taking pictures. Suffice it to say that many hands came together to make a wonderful night...Elvis showed up, along with Santa, Angels, and Mary and Joseph. Feel the love.

4. and speaking of Love....Levi pulled out all the stops right before Christmas, and proposed to Nina! I KNOW, RIGHT!!!? He took her out for dinner and then after drove her to look at the lights....well,here...the pictures tell it all...

5. Christmas was crazy....we went to church on Christmas morning...(I was leading the choir. They were totally AWESOME!) Then we took off and drove to the airport right after! Flew Home and partied for a whole week with the SWEETS! Oh how I love them....

Had our whole family together for New Year's! (truly a miracle in itself...)and...I made a cake. It was good.

Now, it is January. I wanted to hibernate for a month or two, but I can already see the writing on the wall...a wedding in March, Easter choir songs, baby due in late spring, plus...I really need to work off all the cake. I really am so thankful for the busy and the un-busy...and everything in between!

Oh....and I promise to post at least ~~six more, three more,~~ a few more times than I have been doing...right after I get done hibernating.

It's almost here....

2011-11-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

I'm thankful for a holiday where the main activity

is putting olives on your fingers before you eat them.

just sayin....

Halloween 2011

2011-10-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween!

Over the weekend we had our annual trunk-or-treat party...or as I like to call it, "junk-in-my- trunk" time. (Because I know exactly where that candy is going...ya know? )

This year we found this amazing terantula spider puppet that Rob handed out candy with...

Sometimes....even candy is not worth it!

Then this morning I found this lovely....

This is "Trunk-AND-Treat"!

BOO to you!

Nana D

2011-10-21T22:28:00.000-07:00

One word...."skype". period.
If you had told me years ago that most of the time I spend with my then future grandchildren would be over the internet....I would have told you that you were "loco-chicka"!! But yes, that is what has come about, and people...I am soooo thankful for those pocket full of minutes with said McNuggets. And just like a box of Forest Gump's chocolates.... I never really know what I will get!

But then, neither do they! (I'm pretty sure they were looking at the DPR make crazy faces in this picture....he has the same effect on me.)
But I have been able to watch them grow from little peanuts into big peanuts and it has been truly awesome!

Sweety La La always puts on a show:

Sweet Birdy keeps me totally entertained:

And Sweet E and Sweet D? well they are just much too much fun!

Put all the "SWEETS" together, and I (they)have total pandemonium....

Occasionally, I even get to skype with my man-child....ya....that's fun.

Just the other day, Kindle sent a text...."Mom, get on skype! La la keeps asking to talk to Nana!"

Makes me melt...and not just a little.

and finally....(drum roll please)....

2011-09-02T00:42:00.000-07:00

We've had birds nesting in the top of our bamboo shade on our patio all summer. When they first started flying around looking for a place, the DPR immediately ran out to chase them away spouting opinions on how they were going to die out there if they built a nest because as soon as we turn on the AC it will be too hot....yada, yada...
They built a nest anyway, regardless of his opinions. Then they did their birdy thing and before you can say "yumpin' yiminy" their were 3 little eggs in the nest. Honestly, I didn't pay that much attention after that....until the end of July. The little birdies were all busy and focused and I pretty much felt the same.

The WEDDING:

in pictures.....

lovely.

happy.

beautiful girl

tinted jars for lanterns and flowers

felted birds cake topper

We are family.

sweet.

buckets of flowers

Vanilla Bean cake with Lemon-curd filling and buttercream...oh my!

on the patio

sundae bar---yum.

first dance

Stealing a quiet moment

Birdies flying away....

When we got home, I went to hang the lanterns on my patio. I was dreaming of seeing the colored glass in the sunlight. There.... I found the empty nest.
And I realized, it was really....really empty.

(sigh).

Oh ya....and one more thing....

2011-06-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

It's complicated...

2011-05-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

I remember one Sunday, in Relief Society, about 15 years ago..or so. It happened to be Mother's day....(groan) and this elderly lady in the group was asked what lofty "words of wisdom" she had to say about Mother's day....She thought about it for a second, and then loudly responded.."BULL-S%$#! There was nervous twittering for a second, I mean...we were in church and all. Then the room litterally exploded with laughter! (that high cackling laughter....like we were in a chicken coop.) Imagine lots of hens..... with corsages on.

Ohhhh...mother's day....so often good. So often, bad....and sometimes just down-right ugly. I don't get it. Why does this day that is meant to honor the woman who gave us birth, wreak havoc with our emotions? I fully recognize that there is not one answer to this question....the only answer that fits all is: "It's complicated."
So how does this day that should be about love, and macaroni necklaces, and breakfast in bed, end up making us a little crazy?
It's complicated, because our relationships with our mothers are complicated...and our relationships with our children are also just as complicated. We are tied together...with everything we are..regardless if it is good or bad. How could it not be complicated? That bond with this person who is responsible for us, or that we are responsible for is so permanent and enduring...no matter what, it seems. At father's day we don't seem to get so tangled up about it...go figure.
Guilt, love, frustration, joy, fatigue, care....it's a hormonal cooking pot, for crying out loud!

My first mother's day as a mother? That was a good mother's day. I looked at my little pink sweety and a feeling of pride overtook me! My heart felt like it was 10 times bigger....I accepted my geranium like it was an oscar, and prepared to give an acceptance speech for the great job I had done!
A bad mother's day? The first mother's day after my mom had passed? That was...well that was just bad. A horrible reminder that a piece of my heart was missing. (it still hurts sometimes, even after all these years...) And ugly? Hmmmm.... I would say, sitting on the back row at church crying , feeling unappreciated and all the kids were fighting and had gum in their hair and and I was pregnant and....well....you get the picture. That was....ugly. Thankfully this really only happened once or twice. (.most of them really were all about pancakes and bacon and homemade cards...)
But, my very best mother's day came one year when I least expected it. Again, I was sitting in Relief Society. Phyllis Savage was giving the lesson and she had gone before-hand and asked all the kids in the sunday school to write down the best and the worst things about their mothers....anonymously, of course. The answers were quite surprising. All the kids had been quite honest in their answers, putting it all out there...."I hate it when my mom yells",or "I love it when my mom makes me birthday cakes"...you know, all kinds of answers.
Then she read this one...

"I love it when we are in the kitchen all together, eating and laughing. My mom turns on the music, and we all dance around while we are working or talking. It is the best time in the world, and I love her."

I sat there, stunned. I knew in an instant that it was my kid that wrote that. My heart was in my throat choking me....and the tears just came. I wasn't a horrible mother after all. I did something right....at least one thing....
The thing is this...you never realize, when you are expecting a baby, that there will be lots of sweat and fluid and blood, etc....etc. or that you might have to spend emotional days and nights at the hospital with a sick baby. Or, in some cases that their will be worry over details of adoptions and fear. We don't usually think about future diaper changing, sleepless nights, homework assignments, or broken hearts. But motherhood is a "dirty" business, not pristine in any sense. We throw ourselves into it, with everything we've got. The good and the bad, not to mention the HARD, because we just can't help it. We endure the blood, sweat, and tears. Love drives us to it. We are just emotional creatures....we're built that way on purpose. At least I know that I am. And if I've had to get my hands a little dirty in this journey of motherhood, I consider it an honor. My macaroni necklace and ceramic coil pots are just medals and trophies. Here is to past and future "Mother's days".....may we remember all the good, and spend the rest, dancing in the kitchen.

Before and After

2011-04-30T17:19:00.000-07:00

....I mean, who doesn't love a before and after? huh? Nobody doesn't like a before and after, that's who! So here is the BEFORE! Check it...

The DPR and I realized early on that we had some real challenges with making a garden on the balcony. First and foremost...it needed to be cheap!...as in almost free...(is that to much to ask?) 2nd-It is a really small place and I mean small! and the other thing we had to figure out is that our future downstairs neighbors' patio is right below us, so we couldn't really have water dripping down from any planters on their stuff all the time...hardly the way to make new friends...ya know? So we went to work trying to figure out how to container garden, and we literally found a plethora (must be said with a spanish accent) of information on youtube about it. Here is what we did:

You can kinda see from the pics...it's basically just making a chamber in the bottom of the container that holds extra water and then you make a wicking system that draws that water up into the soil. We even did it in the flower boxes with pvc pipe...

Speaking of cheap...we found a wood box in the dumpster to make the flower box out of, and the plastic bins were 5 bucks at Walmart so not bad. We found a lot of plants on clearance at Home Depot for 50 cents! (score) but we did have to buy dirt...Oh lovely dirt. (sigh) I feel better.

OK So here it is....the AFTER! (prepare to be dazzled...I mean like with Jazz hands, and everything...)

BEHOLD....The Garden....

I even have an herb garden....we made the containers out of soy milk containers for....wait for it....FREE!.
(what can I say...recycling is where it's at!)

These are the radish seeds that I threw into one of the flower boxes...they are growing like crazy!

These pansies were 50 cents...now they are taking over!

I am having such a good time gardening! It is amazing what a few flowers and veggies can do for your spirits. Everyday, I look out my window to the beautiful flowers, instead of bare naked balcony.

Life is good.

Dirt Envy

2011-04-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, the DPR and I squeezed in a fast trip home to get a "grandkids-fix"...for real. What I mean is that we really didn't need to go for any other reason...just went for a much needed hug fest with all the sweets! (Oh ya....it was also nice to see our children, too....)

I don't know what it is....but there is definetly an uncanny connection between us, and the McNuggets. Seriously cannot get enough! (sorry, no picture of the "E" boy....he was running too fast!)

Anyway, when we got back, I was looking out my window (and into my over-the-fence neighbors yard as I am prone to do.) and saw this:

Oh man!....they are already ready to plant?! What the.....? How did they pull it together? I mean one little weekend of sunshine and these guys pull out the tractor. Ok, so you could say I'm a little fixated on our neighbors yard. I do obsess a bit about what they ARE or Are NOT doing to my...I mean, THEIR garden. please don't judge me...I have a case of DIRT ENVY! To make it worse I looked down to our below neighbors and...tsk, tsk....weeds! all weeds!

wait a minute....THEY MOVED! as in vamoosed! My mind went burserk thinking about all the wonderful things I could do with the downstairs yard/garden that was just waiting to happen! I had plans for vegetables and herbs and outdoor seating and maybe a mini golf green (if there is room in my 10x 15yard)...
I immediantly sent the DPR to inquire about moving downstairs, while I got started drawing up the plans! Would there be room for an extensive flower bed? The pirate came home with the sad news, it was already rented....signed even before the other family was out.....whatever.
Oh well, I've decided that my dirt envy cannot go unheeded so, the dread pirate and I are off on our own gardening adventure. We are going to make our balcony into a garden....yes, I know its very small....but we are going to try. I will keep you posted on the progress.

As for now, I'm going to go look up "vamoose" to see if it is a real word.....

Maker of Things

2011-03-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

The weather has been really horrible the last couple of days...and you know what that means for me- when the sky turns dark and gray, usually my brain does too. Honestly, I have become a total "weather wimp". I mean, in Utah, I really had an excuse! I remember it snowing on Easter many times....and sometimes beyond. Here, I have a couple of days of cloudy and take to my bed in depression! (Thank Heaven it really is not too often!) But my mind has been full of thoughts...take a look at this and then we'll talk....

I have a friend here who is a part of the MakerFair that is coming up. She was describing all these great things that are there and showing me her beautiful work. (here) The whole idea of being a maker has invaded my brain! It seems that everyone is on the bandwagon...knitting things and sewing things...and all the thousands of crafty things on Etsy. Are we in some sort of Making Renaissance? Hmmmm. Maybe not. I think it might be just a return. I remember my mom always, constantly in the process of making something...anything...just kept those fingers working to the bone. She always had a project, and who doesn't remember the Relief Society sisters making these lovelies?

I love it that this is our heritage. Women who were makers. They never stopped. I think this is really part of our natures...the craving to create something. And honestly, we feel better after we have made something of beauty. So that is my goal...to be constantly making something...anything. I want to keep my fingers busy and my mind thinking of new things to make. Was it raining? I don't know....I was busy.

Are words even necessary here?

2011-03-17T15:02:00.000-07:00

On rollercoasters and boxes of chocolates...and mixing metaphors

2011-03-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

I have to say it....I really love how our brains work...I mean as humans. I love it that you can be laying in bed, not asleep and not yet awake, in that in-between part (oh....I love that in-between part...but that's another post) and your mind can be transported back to some memory, remembering every feeling, and every teeny tiny detail ... Delicious! I was transported this morning to Orlando....
A couple of years ago, we took everyone to Florida for a post Christmas Vacation. One of the days we spent at Universal Studios.....I must admit, going to theme parks with all adult children is....fantastic! My son-in-laws were especially crazy....they were on a roller-coaster buzz and energy was super high. That was for everyone but Mattie. Mattie hates roller-coasters. I mean HATES-Loathes-abhors-would like to kill..... roller-coasters. So of course we had to force her onto the hardest one there...

Needless to say, we didn't do anymore forcing after that. I'm thinking a public apology is in order...."Sorry Mattie.....we are dorks". But that is really not what this post is about. Let's press the forward button....so we ran from coaster to coaster all the crazy day. We were nearing that "happy-go-puky" theme-park-high. There was no end in sight for the guys. They had gone on the hulk, and the dueling dragons a hundred times and even they were starting to reach their fill. As we walked through the crowds, there were families everywhere with blurry eyed kids crying for mercy..."please, please....release me from all this fun...." Some had just had it and were sleeping, their iron grip intact, with corn-dogs in one had and cotton candy in the other. Their parents were headed for the front gate in defeat....(huuumph...wimps) " No! Not us! We are the family with grown up kids...we shall press on!"
"Jeff said....we have to go on the Dueling Dragons one more time before the park closes!" Everyone (except Mattie) let out a long nice "baaaa" (like sheep) and we all headed over to the line. We even waited in the "longer" line so we could sit in the very front where it was supposed to be more exciting. Anticipation was building...we finally got up to the gate to get on....the gate opened. We rushed on...the straps secured us. All of a sudden, there was a little thunder....and What the?! It started to rain. I mean like--buckets! This is where my most favorite quote of all time was uttered....from a carny....

"THIS ROLLER COASTER HAS NOW JUST BECOME....A WATER FEATURE."

Off we went...into the dark rain filled night. Just in case you ever need to know in the future....rain really hurts when you are on a roller coaster. We were like little children on a swing set, with an angry sea monster squirting us with a fire hose! The raindrops were like needles!....and they were shooting up under our eyelids! Round and round and upside down...Please! PLEASE....Angry Sea Monster....make it stop!
When it did stop....we learned that they had closed down all the rides in the park.(too dangerous) We were the very last ride....(go us.) We were completely soaked....like we had gone swimming in our clothes. We got off the stinking dragon and just tried to make sense of it all. Then....we started to laugh. Granted, it was one of those laughs that borders on crying....but, it really was hysterical. We walked out of the ride....to Mattie who had been waiting patiently. (completely dry) And silently walked to the exit gate.

I decided today, that life is just like that. A great big roller coaster. It twists and turns, and "just like a box of chocolates....you really never know what you're going to get"! It seems like some people are on a wimpy-kiddy ride....others are facing a giant sea monster with a fire hose. Either way, after all is said and done....I think the best thing, is to stand back and laugh a bit. Even when it feels not so funny.

Oh ya.....after that we learned that there is nothing funny about being stuck in an overcrowded van full of "adult" children soaking wet for an hour long drive.....just sayin.

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T08:15:00.000-08:00

Just letting the candy do the talking....

I'll take "Quotable Quotes" for one thousand.....

2011-02-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

I have been going over boxes of old photos that I brought from Ogden at Christmas time. When we moved, I stuffed all of the loose pictures and ones that I had organized into photo boxes together into bigger boxes, which were stuffed into a unit that was basically a holding box for all the boxes of stuff that it took us 30 years to box together. Get it? stuff/boxes? I know...I'll stop now.

Anyway, I ran upon some 3x5 cards that were mixed in among the pictures. These are not just "any" 3x5 cards. These represent my life as a young mother like no picture could ever do. Let me explain. After Kindle was born, I remember being completely and totally enamored and in love with this beautiful girl. I had fought so hard to get her here. She was my all. Two seconds after that, I was frustrated, tired, pregnant again, and miserable. (believe me when I say a pattern was forming...) I was so ill equipped. Where was the instruction booklet for this kiddo that was so much smarter than I? I found myself chasing her around all day saying "don't touch that, get out of there, do you want a spanking(really? what a dumb thing to say to a kid...."sure mom....that's just what I want"...) What happened to all the love I was feeling for my little sweetheart? ...and why was she all of a sudden being so naughty? (what I thought was "naughty" then was nothing compared to what was to come down the road in a couple of years....you know who you are.) Regardless, I needed answers and NOW! My sweet sister-in-law Midge* came to my rescue.

*Midge: Red-headed mother of 10, state-problem-has-answer-woman of the year.
Mission: Save Denise....again.

First, she listened. She cried with me. She hugged me, and told me I was going to be a good mother. Then, handed me a book on child rearing. Why didn't I think of that? This started my obsession with books on this subject...I have 13 that I kept because they were good. (Others are at DI.) All I can say is that I GLEANED. I read it over and over. I tried every suggestion. I wrote down quotes on 3X5 cards and taped them to the inside of my kitchen cupboard for quick reference. That's where the 3x5's come in. My beloved 3x5 cards. They told me what to do, when I didn't know what to do...and helped me to hold it together.

I have kept them all these years...yellowed tape and all. I was not a perfect mother...I remember feeling like a failure sometimes, as a mom, but I really was trying.....and I also know that every mom has that feeling at one time or another. I don't think you have to be perfect. I think it's a learning process...trying each day to find a little more patience, more love, more courage to go about it one more day. Even when you are tired and frustrated. (this is the 50 year old me giving advice to the 20 year old me...)

I hope God has a note on his wall...reminding him to be patient with me. Because His undivided attention is what I crave...and when I am the most unlovable is when I need love the most.

Que' pasa? No, REALLY....Que' pasa!

2011-01-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

Last week, the DPR and I started a new class...."Beginning Spanish". (for dummies). I added that last part, because it is how I feel in the class. Our teacher, told us very first thing that she would be speaking in Spanish the whole time and that we would just listen and pretty soon we would pick it up. Somewhere along the way she dropped in a few details, like her name, but I don't know what it is because she was speaking in Spanish. Every once in a while she would throw in words like, "Taco" or "hola" just to make me feel better. When she asked the DPR what his name is....he answered in a fancy voice, "Roberto"! He rolled his" r" so it was like, "RRRRRoberto". I turned really "rrrrrrr-red."
So last night was our second class (for dummies). Again, more Spanish speaking...when she said "uno"...I thought maybe we would play cards....) I came home blurry eyed and confused. I went to bed and had deep dreams. Dreams where everyone was speaking Spanish! All night! Spanish speaking everywhere! I would tell you what I dreamt about, but....I don't know...I couldn't understand any of it. But this morning I woke up with a strange hankering for huevos rrrrrrancheros....with a little churrrrrro on the side. Go figure....

!!!!!!!!

2011-01-08T10:57:00.000-08:00

Yup...it's official....

2011: Mattie and Jon are getting hitched.

Let the party planning commence....

And so I'm offering this simple phrase....

2010-12-24T21:53:00.000-08:00

for kids from 1 to 92...

Although it's been said...many times, many ways....

MERRY CHRISTMAS to YOU!

Happy Birthday to me...

2010-12-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

A couple of days ago, I went and bought a small fake tree. Yes. I just did it. It was cheap, and I couldn't stand the thought of not having any tree at all. So up went our little table top tree...with a special something underneath. You see, at thanksgiving I grabbed a couple of boxes out of the storage unit that I thought were fabric, but were totally something else. It was some sewing supplies other "stuff" and at the bottom was my teddy bear. Tears kinda came up as I looked at my rag-0-muffin bear that has been through thick and thin with me, and then stuffed carelessly into the bottom of a box as if it were part of the packing material instead of something worth keeping.

just like this one...only green

I started thinking about my toys. Everyone always asks me if I hate having a birthday so close to Christmas...the answer? not really. If my birthday is on a Saturday, then Christmas and New years are all on Saturday. That means 3 weeks of total fun. On the other hand, my mom was usually a little overwhelmed by the whole thing by the time my birthday rolled into town. So a lot of times it would be, "for your birthday, you can open one of your Christmas presents early"....Great, thanks. But really, it didn't matter that much. Christmas is a pretty magical time, and to be linked at all with it, as a kid, was good. I do have one memory, really very few stand out, but one does. It was one of those years of opening a present early...it was a Barbie doll case. It was bright green and round, and it had that wonderful smell. Anyone who has had Barbie dolls or new plastic toys knows that smell I'm talking about. It is such a good, I don't know...plastic smell! I can't describe it. It's like new car smell for kids! I was over the moon about my empty Barbie doll case. I crawled under the Christmas tree with my case...and opened the zipper and breathed in the beautiful new plastic smell. Then I looked up into the middle of the tree.

The colored lights spoke to me...I squinted my eyes so that all the colors melted together and glowed. I laid there for a couple of hours dreaming and squinting at the lights. That's it. The whole memory. Me under the tree squinting and smelling my plastic.

We did have a Barbie...honestly I don't know if it came before or after the case...it was awesome either way. She had big blue eyeshadow and I'm pretty sure was just like this one:

non-bendable...totally cool.

Later we added a "Midge" doll and lots of other Barbies that were the new and improved bendable leg ones. Then came the "Little Kiddles" Now there was some serious fun. I collected tons of them and even threw in a martian thingy-doll just to spice the collection up. (Years later, when I was leaving home, I packed the whole Kit and Kaboodle up and gave it all to my nieces to continue on with.

So this week I have been staring up into my small little table top tree, squinting my eyes. Apologizing to my teddy bear for throwing him unceremoniously into a box of stuff....and dreaming of new toys.
Oh...and by the way...Christmas and New Years are on Saturday this year....I know that just because.

Old Dog....new Trick

2010-12-15T00:22:00.000-08:00

picture day 1970....not a good hair day.

Let's be clear. I have pretty much had long hair my whole life...I mean my whole life. OK except that one time that I got it cut in the sixth grade, (ya...I wasn't happy about it either)

But, I learn from my mistakes and never went down that road again. I have cut it a few times throughout the years, but always kept it at least to my shoulders. I must admit that my problem has always been how to "do my hair....you know like in a "do". I have problem hair. It waves in all the wrong places...it waves more underneath than on top, and more at the roots, then goes straight at the ends. I mean what's a girl to do? And there is just no "letting it go" I mean if I let it go then I start to look like...

Like I said....there is no "letting it go". the end.

So recently, I went home for a quick fix at Kindle's Salon. (isn't it ironic that Kindle is my daughter? I know, right!?) She makes sure I have a great cut and color and generally uses smoke and mirrors and lots of wax to make sure that the "Dude looks like a lady"...if you know what I mean.

Side note-

Getting eyebrows, mustache,(or Mrs.stache...) and nose hair waxed is just the worst pain ever...but, and it's a big BUT...it makes you feel like you've had a face lift. FOR REAL! One of our favorite family activities is WAX all around for everyone! (except the boys always cry...you know who you are...)

So this last visit to the salon, I told Kindle how frustrating it is after she makes my hair look so good, that within 24 hours I look like 1980 all over again. I can never make it do the same thing she makes it do. She has shown me a hundred times how to blow it dry, always with her doing it and explaining how to do it. This time I suggested that I do it and she could move my hands to make it right... This is how it went:

Me- "Kindle, I can't do this... "

Kindle- "Mom, I've shown you a thousand times..."

Me- "I know, but I can't hold the blow dryer over my head that long...."

Kindle- " It doesn't take as long as holding the curling iron (which incidentally makes you look like 1980...)"

Me- "But I can't keep the wet hair separate from the dry hair...."

Kindle- "Mom! They are all going to the same place! All the hair is going to DRY LAND! just quit worrying about it!....No, no, no, the brush in your right hand the blow dryer in your left..."

well before you know it.... voila! My life has been transformed!

Now just look at me go...

It only took me 50 years to finally figure it out....

I know what you're thinking....

But it's the little successes in life that keep me going...you know?

What Shall We Give?

2010-12-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

LET THE FUN BEGIN!

2010-12-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

DECEMBER IS HERE!

OH-OH-OH HOW I LOVE ALL MY SWEETS!

Giving Thanks

2010-11-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

I told him when he left..."You come home to me....alright..." He did....

...and I was so glad.

R.O.U.S.

2010-11-11T13:15:00.000-08:00

People! There is a plague across the land. Yes, a plague....and it is affecting my life in alarming ways. I have known, since we moved here that the animal life in our apartment complex is abundant, with squirrels scampering up and down trees. I thought it was totally charming at first, until one day I was headed toward the laundry room to put my clothes into the dryer...and an evil squirrel threatened me in broad daylight! I had unwittingly gotten between him and his nuts (ummm) and he was not having it. He gave me a look like this:

Being the wimp that I am, I stopped dead in my tracks and high tailed it back to the safety of my apartment, where I could look at the wildlife where God intended me to...from behind the window.
But wait, there's more...yes...much more. We discovered when Kindle and Ben were here that at night the other woodland animals come out to play. of course, I don't play, but Rob and Ben did play a little raccoon hockey one night. (I shut my eyes and plugged my ears while chanting "la-la-la-la..." so I would not know about it. Hey it works...) Then about a week ago, we opened our front door to find a possum on our front porch! To top it all off, this came out on the news:

WOMAN ATTACKED BY PACK OF RACCOONS!"
(click on link to read full account)

The story reads like a zombie movie! she's running away then trips and they get her! Are you kidding me?!!
What is up with this? And why does the victim always trip and fall? ROUS's (rodents of unusual size) are real, people, REAL! Then, some guy says on the news, casually, that this is the 9th report of animals being attacked or killed....but they are not planning a mass attack on the racoons! Oh no! they are wildlife and are to be protected! Whatever! I think we should have coon skin hats all around...on the house!
They are not cute, people, not cute at all. I don't care if they do have a little mask on like zoro....
la-la-la-la-la-la....

Don't worry....be Mattie....

2010-11-02T10:12:00.000-07:00

20 years ago I was pregnant, stressed out, running on empty, and ready to go crazy. The baby was due the end of October and to make matters worse, our dog "Betty" was preggars too! To be quite honest, I was praying that the baby would not be born on Halloween. There was just so much going on with school, and costumes, and carnivals, and just stuff...how was I going to fit having a baby in the middle of all that? A stormy Halloween night came and the kids did their thing. I stayed home to give out candy, when I discovered Betty in a total panic. She was trying to figure out where she could go to hide...Oh how I understood. We made a place downstairs for her and proceeded to help her deliver her pups. I was sooo happy it was her and not me! I made it for 2 more days before I went into labor, and baby number 5 came into our world. I took Mattie home to kids, and dogs, and crazy, and my post baby surgery (tubal ligation) plus blood clot complications to boot. oh my.....

She was just days old...all the kids were outside messing with puppies and playing in the fall leaves....I fnally caught a moment of quiet with my new sweety. There we were, in the "eye of the storm" for just a few moments. I stroked her dark hair and kissed her full rosy lips....darling. I knew it was my last and I wanted to remember every moment. I whispered in her ear to not grow too fast so I could remember it for the rest of my life, what it feels like to touch my newborn babies head, or feel the wrinkles on her back. She responded with a long stretch and yawn. Then her little lazy head bobbled and she behaved like a bean bag...as if to say, "don't worry, be happy".

Looking back, I realize that she wasn't upset by all the chaos... She was listening to her own little drum beat and enjoying her life to the fullest. I have come to understand that Mattie has the most interesting drum beat....it became very evident as she got older. Her imagination as a little kid was unparalleled and some of her escapades were legend...like the ongoing fight at dinner time on who would get a girl fork vs. a boy fork. Yes you read it right....Personally,
I could never see any genitalia on any of the silverware, so what is a parent to do? We finally deciphered that the girl ones were the salad forks and the boy ones were dinner forks...who knew?...and how did she come to that conclusion with her parents as examples...hmmm? (I am taller than the DPR) I know, I know...it's that darn secret drum beat that she has going....
I try often to hear that beat...and occasionally we both hear it and dance and laugh together. And that's when I thank Heavenly Father....for sending her to us. With this crazy-good different drum beat, she is one of us...part of the band and she makes it all more interesting.

Twenty years ago I was pregnant...and nothing has been the same, since.

Oh Halloween

2010-10-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

To funny...really. Tonight was stellar for us "trick-or treat-ee's". We were part of the crowd at our ward's Halloween party who did "trunk-or-treat". Take a look:

This was too much fun! The kids had to reach in to get their treat...and they were totally freaked out!

(I was on the inside making sure that they touched some cob webs, or just grabbing their hand

was enough to send them...it was great!

The Ninja was totally not having it!

A princess with confidence

I was laughing my head off inside....

Just had to have a peek first...

There are times when scaring small children is really awesome...

Happy Halloween!

How to Eat a Dragon

2010-10-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to a Relief Society/craft/get-away-from-it-all night at our church. I took a class on making authentic egg rolls from a woman there who was from Laos. OH MY! was it ever fun...and de-lish as well. She turned us all on to this Asian Market not far from us, so the DPR and I went to check it out. All of a sudden we were transported to China! I mean it...just be the shear number of people in the place...it felt like being in Hong Kong or Beijing or someplace exotic like that. I mean shoulder to shoulder people! Listen, I could go on and on talking about the packages of dried fish and mushrooms and pocky sticks and stuff, but one of the things that was most impressive was the amount of produce! Stuff that I love and stuff I have never seen or heard of...we saw a lady walking around with a cart full of these: Dragon Fruit!

"Behold the Dragon"

They were sooo beautiful...lovely color, don't you think? So of course we had to try....

First, you cut the thing in half to reveal the insides...I know..right? Not what I expected either! Then you scoop out the insides with a spoon like you would an avocado.....then cube it up and put it back in the beautiful fusia skin to serve.
It tastes sort of like a kiwi only milder and you don't get that burn on your tongue like you do sometimes with kiwi....not as sweet as I thought it would be, but very refreshing.

The DPR turned Dragon Slayer

carcass of the Beast...

It seems there is always something new waiting around the corner....it might just be a dragon.

Pretty in Pink

2010-10-16T12:09:00.000-07:00

I finally finished!....and I think a show and tell is in order. But first, the details: When I went up to be with Claire and Jeff after the baby was born, Claire showed me a hat she had just finished knitting for Liv. So darling, I just had to jump in! I made a pair of matching booties to go with it. Claire had purchased a really cute knitting book for baby, with too many cute patterns. We spent every day going back and forth from Tacoma to Seattle Children's Hospital, and in-between feedings I would knit like a mad woman! It really kept me busy. (and helped me not worry so much....) Just take a look:

Wrap around Kimono and matching booties!

the booties are meant to be like ballerina slippers with the ribbon wrapping around the leg...

Ok...so I am totally hooked! I'm thinking this kimono with a black onesy and white tights to look like a ballerina...yes?

So Long Old Girl....

2010-10-15T16:28:00.000-07:00

In memory of Kindle and Ben's "Sophie",
Good Dog.

So long, Old Girl.

Liv

2010-10-13T21:32:00.000-07:00

Claire has been asked by lots of people about Olive's birth story....so we decided my blog would be a good place to put it out there for everyone. This is what Claire wrote:

"OnSeptember 10, I had a routine 35 week appointment with the clinic to take a fewtests and check the baby’s heart rate, just like we had done for the past fewmonths. Jeff liked to come with meto my appointments to hear the heartbeat and see how everything was going (alsoditching work for an hour was pretty nice too). When they used the Doppler monitor, Jeff and I lookedtotally shocked. The machine wassaying her heart rate was at 130 beats a minute, but just listening to it, itwas definitely much faster than usual. The doctor and Jeff counted the beats over and over and they both agreedthat it was actually double, 260 beats a minute! At this point, Jeff is really starting to worry but didn’tshow it at all, meanwhile I’m calm as a cucumber, not thinking it was thatserious because everyone else was acting so calm. An hour later, I was laying on the operating table, waitingfor them to make the first incision!! Olive was experiencing SVT (heart rate above 230 bpm) and they weren’tsure why, so they explained to us that they would need to perform an emergencyc-section. They might as well havetold me they were going to kill me because my reaction was about the same. By this time, Jeff was really wettinghis pants. He was able to quicklycall a few family members, gave me a blessing, and then out the door to getchanged into his OR attire.

Theywheeled me over to the OR and I was given the spinal thingy (thankfully Ididn’t even feel the shot they gave me) that made everything below my chestnumb. I was shamelessly bawling myhead off in front of all the nurses and doctors until this point, and then Iwas totally calm (maybe they put something good in my IV). They started the operation and broughtJeff in. Poor Jeff was so shockedto see me lying on the table with all my guts hanging out! While they were working, I thought itwas the coolest thing I have ever felt, it was so fascinating (in a sickway) and I was actually smiling and excited about the whole thing! Literally five minutes intoit, they pulled the curtain down to show us our sweet Liv girl, kicking andscreaming, so exciting! I sentJeff to be with Liv in the NICU, and I was wheeled to recovery.

Forthe first two hours, there wasn’t any problem with SVT. Her heart rate regulated itself whenshe was born but then she had another episode and they tried a few maneuvers toshock her body into coming out of SVT naturally like pumping her knees to herchest and covering her entire face and mouth in ice for 30 seconds. It was heartbreaking. Finally, she was treated with medicineand the fast heart rate stopped. Every few days Liv would have another episode but mostly they did lotstests and EKGs to investigate what was causing this problem, however, weweren’t at a children’s hospital and they didn’t have many answers for us, orspecialists to look at the test results. Thankfully, her body was compensating beautifully and her stats weregreat whenever she had this high heart rate every few days or so. She wasn’t even aware anything was happening, usuallysleeping through it. Finally, aweek after she was born, the cardiologist working with us decided this wasbeyond his training and transferred us up to Seattle Children’s Hospital, whichturned out to be an enormous blessing. Before she was transferred, the doctors weren't sure how her body was handling the SVT and the nurses made it very plain that they didn't think she would make it. It was the hardest night of our lives. Since she was a preemie, she was on a ventilator and had wires and tubes attatched everywhere. The nurses unhooked her as much as they could so Jeff and I could hold her for the first and, they implied it maybe the last time.

At the new hospital, we had a team of several cardiologists and electro cardiologists workingto solve the problems she was experiencing. Being at a children’s hospital made all the difference. Everything seemed to slowly improve from then on. They determined that the irregulararrhythmia she had was fairly common and babies grow out of it within a fewmonths, but most importantly, it was not life threatening for her. The SVT doesn’t hurt herheart unless it goes untreated for long periods of time. Eventually we can expect to haveanother episode with SVT, but the older she gets, the further apart they havebecome. After we got her SVT undercontrol (three more weeks in the hospital), they finally sent us home once wegot her to eat more (thanks Nana D) and thankfully establish some breastfeeding (pumpingis the worst!)

LittleGirl is home and doing so good! Atleast the month while she was in the hospital I was able to heal from thec-section. I may not have had anydiscomfort during the operation or the day after the c-section, but let me tellyou, that shiz was terrible! Iwould never choose to have it done ever again, just zipping up my pants drivesme crazy! Olive hasn’t had any SVTfor about 10 days and everyday she is getting bigger, she is a little over amonth old and weighs just over six pounds! She is such a happy girl, smiling ALL the time. We feel so blessed for all the messagesand prayers and fasting done on behalf of our girl. Thank you all so much! It was such a comfort knowing that even though we are away from friends and family,we still had so much support and love from everyone and we can’t wait to beback in Utah! I’m literallycounting down the days!! Can’twait to show Liv off to everyone!" Love- Claire and Jeff

Olive you

birthday suit....

Liv in a basket...

Olive has such a sweet gentle personality...she really has captured all our hearts! I can't wait to get back to Utah, too! I want to see all the cousins together-it's gonna be a party! (guess what's at the top of my list when I count my many blessings?...I will give you 4 guesses...)

On growing things....

2010-10-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

I got home from Seattle a couple of days ago. I consider it a huge blessing to have been able to spend time there with our new little Olive and Claire and Jeff. Jeff and I took turns sleeping in her hospital room through the night....she seemed to eat better when she had that personal time with someone really engaging with her, rather than nurses hurrying through those late night feedings, and then giving her food through the ng tube if she was too tired to eat. One of the nights that I was there, I sang to her, and we talked, (I talked-she listened)...I tried to nudge the little sprout into eating and growing. I felt as if I had known this little soul forever. The doctor came in the next morning and gave me a high-5....she had only needed to be ng'd one time within 24 hours, and her feeding tube could be removed. Go "Nana D".....

I can't believe it is already October! When I got home it felt just like it did when I left, except the evidence of changing seasons was in my backyard. We are lucky....we live in an apartment complex with a view of a garden as our backyard. (most of our neighbors have a view of other apartments...you know?) But it has been abandoned sort of....still fruit to harvest, but the owners have decided that they were done.

In Utah, we would not have had a choice in the matter....mother nature is in charge of those decisions. I wished I could jump over fences and pick the tomatoes and turn the hose back on to keep it all going. Instead we went to the market and bought this:

...made me feel like I had grown it myself. There is something to be said for appreciating homegrown....whether it's vegetables, or flowers, or kids for that matter....we nudge them along with love. and that's all that matters.

When Olive smiles...it takes me miles...

2010-09-29T13:22:00.000-07:00

Could you just die of happiness after watching this?
Olive has already shown us her happy little personality, and believe me we are all wrapped around her little fingers!
wait....I need to watch it again.....HA! I love this little girl!

All I can say is "YAY" for grandbabies!

Olive Wren Hawkes

2010-09-17T12:41:00.000-07:00

What a difference a week makes!!! Last week we had quite a surprise....Jeff called to say that Claire was in the hospital ready to have an emergency C-section! Five weeks early! Here is the story from Jeff:

"Friday we had our weekly check up at the McChord Air Force Base clinic. Part of the check up involves using a dopler to listen to the babies heart beat. While we were listening I noticed that the heart rate was much faster then it should be. The dopler said that her heart rate was 140 but I thought it sounded much faster. After checking several times we found her heart rate was closer to 260 bpm (beats per minute) even though the dopler still showed it being 140. The nurse sent us to Madigan Army Hospital saying "Im sure its nothing" and off we went..... What we found was that Olive was experiencing Atrial Flutter. Meaning her atria was beating super fast while the rest of her heart was beating normally which leads to poor perfusion of the body. It also means there is a risk of blood pooling in the lungs and around the heart. So the decision was made to preform a C-section right away.
(quick note- Olive had never had these symptoms previously and we believe we caught it the day it began. )

So off goes Claire and I am standing there peeing myself.

Once Claire was in the O.R. (about an hour after the initial appointment!) and had received her anesthesia I was able to come in and sit with her. She was amazing. Our entire birth plan and months of planning and practice had been smashed but she was brave and strong. After several minutes a little Olive Wren came out of her belly and we got a brief glimpse of her before she was rushed to the NICU.
...... Since then there have been numerous interventions preformed to try and maintain normal vital signs, everything from new vents and different drugs to body placement and central lines into her umbilical cord. Despite the occasional setback we seem to be moving forward. ........ It seems like everyday things are looking a little bit better. Quite literally baby steps. Claire has been doing good... just recovering, aside from any bruising and soreness she is fine. Seriously though we are so grateful for the prayers and fasting on our behalf. It has meant the world to us. We have felt peace and comfort from the prayers and fasting and angels you have sent our way."

Isn't she Beautiful!!

This is the first time I got to see my "Livey Lovey"!

She is doing so well. Everyday she is doing a bit better, and I have to say the doctors and nurses they have working on Olive are really fantastic! Claire and Jeff have not been able to hold her yet, and as you can imagine they are going crazy with that! All of us want to get our hands on this kid...she is just so adorable....

Welcome Olive! We are so glad you are here!

Thirty years

2010-09-12T09:53:00.000-07:00

....And though we are as nothing

                                                     To the stars that shine above
                                                     You are my universe
                                                     You are my love

                                                     Here we are
                                                     Like children forever
                                                     Taking care of one another
                                                    While the world goes on without us
                                                    All around us....

J.T.

Foodie

2010-09-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Alright....so here's what I didn't tell you about our week with the La-la's....

It was all about FOOD baby!...all about FOOD.

Kindle is some-what of a Foodie, herself, and has been reading this blog called "Alice Q. Foodie" that is awesome. She has a whole section about the different restaurants and hang-outs that she loves in San Fran...so, after a little arm twisting...(She had to twist my arm for a full second before I said "let's Go!")
we went to see what Alice Q was talking about! Take a look at some of her favorites....

Kindle got Heavenly macaroons at a little place in the Ferry Building called "Miette". Plus, they had the cutest shop...very colorful and "French delicious" looking.

Also at the Ferry Building, they had the freshest looking oysters....so of course the Dread Pirate and his trusty side-kick Ben had to give it a try.

Next on the schedule is Dynamo Donuts...I know...right? I had to break down and have a few bites...
They all looked Outrageously delicious...and the most amazing flavors...

this one is "maple apple with smoked bacon"...
Yes, I said Bacon.....YUMMO!

and this is the end of Kindle's "Lemon Pistachio"

And finally, we visited the famed "Tartine"....(pictures are worth a thousand words here...)

Everything at Tartine looked so wonderful, but I liked the sandwiches the very best. Very savory, and the artisan bread was really good.

The girls who sat across from us were darling and had ordered the most beautiful food.
We took turns taking pictures of each other, and chatting....

The whole experience was down-right Dizzy-ing!

This week? Getting back on track....alright?
(it was worth it....)

la-la land

2010-09-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sissy La-la came for a visit last week. Oooo La-la! What a great time we've had! First we had to kiss on cheeks and squeeze on the chub....

Then it was time to hit the beach. La-la is quite a little fashion-ista, and looked fabulous in her cruise wear.

We went all over San Fran seeing the sights....

On Saturday, they were having a huge Scottish festival. So after we visited the farmers market we got our Scottish on and went to celebrate.

We have had such a great time....Rob and I are still in La-la land. Just can't get enough of that girl.

See what I mean?

Changes in the air

2010-08-25T09:03:00.000-07:00

My street was extremely busy this morning...it was exquisite. Today is the first day of school, so there were excited kids walking and running and talking and laughing....It has been an awesome spectacle. (listen to me..."exquisite, excited, spectacle" woo hoo...teehee) Any way, I have been watching out my kitchen window, and I just could not help myself...I have been smiling and laughing with them. It has brought back so many memories, of getting my kids ready for school...crayons, papers, supplies, back packs and on and on. I love it. It is such a good transition really. Having a break for summer, lazy days, and barbeques....fireworks, and vacations. But it is also so good to bring back that schedule. You know? Kids (and grown-ups) sleeping in, changes overnight to getting up early and getting on a schedule with things to accomplish. I feel as though I must keep this up...be a bit more disciplined in my own life. It feels very...right.

One of my favorite memories....taking the kids down for their first day of school, standing outside and talking to the other mothers...some years we would all be crying and some years laughing and "high-fiving"! (yes!...we made it through!...believe me there are those years....) then usually we would have an impromptu get together..."let's go to breakfast!" and off we would go, throwing all other obligations to the wind. A necessary time together to talk and share about our kids and lives. Last May when I went home to be with Kindle and her new baby, a few of those friends called me for a breakfast date. It was just like old times. They strengthen me just like before.

When I see these guys...I don't know whether to cry or to start "high-fiving"! Love them all so much (and so many others not pictured) It all comes back and I'm just thankful to have been able to make my journey through this life with them. OK...soooo... breakfast anyone?

Ooohhh Yah.....

2010-08-24T17:00:00.000-07:00

We have been going to this little market near our house that is awesome! They have the most beautiful heirloom tomatoes that are just...well....I don't know a word that is enough! Just imagine the most fantastic tomato ever and that is what they taste like! Plus, they are so colorful and pretty. We got a big bunch of fresh basil for a buck,some olive oil, and some fresh mozzerella.....I like it that it is so simple, too.

Is there anything better than this?

Take me out to the ball-game....

2010-08-20T08:55:00.001-07:00

Last night, we went to see the Oakland A's game. YAY!!! We had an eventful time. The A's were hosting an LDS night at the stadium. Ya...that's what I thought, too.....really? (but then Rob was laughing on the way there that it was probably also PETA night and CIA night as well...) no....I'm pretty sure it was just Mormon night. I think it was the first time at the stadium that the sales of candy were more than the beer....but only by a slight margin.....just sayin'.
We got there just a little late...I didn't realize that parking was going to cost a whopping $17 bucks in cash...and we didn't quite bring that much cash...so a run to the ATM was mandatory. Which also made us miss the full time missionaries singing the national anthem, as well as the opening pitch and the first run of the game made by the A's. "What the...." are you kidding me? all that just because we were a couple bucks short?....oh man....
OK...no worries, the show was just getting started. So here's what happened...we sat in our seats. There were kids to the right of us, kids to the left of us, and kids in front....all of them eating junk food like there was no tomorrow. There was a dating couple sitting behind us eating dinner for twenty...not kidding. And also these 4 drunk guys (one looked just like the young Billy Joel)who's whole objective was to heckle as loud as possible...more about them later.

They have these guys running up and down the isles selling food...not just a few items, either.
They sell: kettle corn, ice cream dibs, ice cream sandwiches, cotton candy, churros, licorice, hot dogs, pizza, pretzels, every kind of soda, plus lemonade, coffee, and hot chocolate (Mormon night?) This is only a sampling of what the guys running through the isles are selling. If you go up yourself to the concourse, that is where you get the serious food...and of course the beer.

Also, one of the most important aspects of the game...are the foul balls. Who knew? So every time there is a foul ball, there is a guy on either side of the field who is in charge of those. He picks up the foul ball and usually throws it into the stands, or gives it to a kid... and when this happens, I'm telling you everyone goes crazy and rushes to the front trying to be the one he throws it to. They all have their mitts in hand and start shouting and stepping on other peoples heads and beers...it was awesome. Only one problem, the guy on our side of the field kept giving all the foul balls to this one sexy girl in the front. At first it was funny....by the 3rd time he got booed so long and loud that the players on the field stopped to figure out what was happening.

Seriously, people...I would love to give you a play, by play....but let me just tell you a few of the cool things that we saw:
1. Coco Crispy (real name of player) made the most amazing catch ever...got a standing "O" for that.
2. The 1st base guy seriously caught a throw while doing the splits to get the guy out. (super cool)
3. Fly Ball directly to 4 drunk heckling guys who were too drunk to catch it and popped right out of their gloves to the sober Mormons behind us....ya...I peed just a little on that one...
4. kids beside us had to go to the bathroom 6 times....
5. Girl a couple rows in front tossed her cookies...rrr...um...churros and hot dogs....for like 10 minutes. (it was like watching a Monty Python show. (I tried to look away, but just couldn't)
6.. Tampa Bay hit 2 homers for a total of 3 runs.
7. Oakland hit 0 homers, but played magnificently and brought in 4 runs to win.
8. We had a blast.

Tweets...rrr...twits.....

2010-08-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

       Last weekend, the Dread Pirate and I drove to Hermiston for his class reunion....I know...right? I figured it was my wifely duty to just suck it up and endure the day on his behalf. It went OK, I mainly just smiled and nodded and followed Rob around like a Labrador. Going to someone else's class reunion is one of those things that you have to just make yourself get through, kind of like waxing your eyebrows....
      Anyway, we also just hung out at his mom and dad's house, which always makes going to Hermiston great. We are in the midst of remodeling Bonnie's kitchen (after all these years? praise-be!) ...so Rob ripped out cabinets and did electrical, and Jay and Jo prepped and painted walls.
      Bonnie and Warren have taken to building bird houses all over the yard. Right above the patio, there is a family of tweeters....3 babies keeping their parents very busy all day long. It was great fun to watch....and a lot more fun than say....waxing your eyebrows.

Wishing I were there....

2010-08-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

Today is Sweet "D"s 1st Birthday! Oh, how I am missing my Sweet!

I would love to be there to give the sweets Grandma kisses...

I would love to make her first Birthday cake like this:

I would love to be there to watch Sweet "E" open all her presents before she

has a chance...( It's all good....)

...and I would love to see her be more interested in the balloons than in all the fuss we've made...

I would just love to be there....

Today I will be "D" dreamin.

Happy Birthday Sweet.

Hangin' with my peeps...

2010-07-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

The "Sweet's" came to visit this last week!

Only one word can describe...."SUH-WEET!"

(one word, 2 syllables...)

(Sweet- D showing her skills....)

We showed them our favorite places...

We took them to town....

Then we hung out by the pool....

Sweet E kicked it!...if ya know what I mean....

Every where we went I kept whispering in their ears to never forget how much I love them....

Then, they went home. (sigh....)

SO much Love....so little time.

Love on Amelia Island

2010-07-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

I flew home today from Amelia. I slept most of the way, because the stygian witches (aka: sisters-in-law) kept me awake all night talking and laughing and watching movies, and then laughing some more. I had beautiful dreams of a gorgeous beach wedding with April and Steve.

I thought of little girls in white dresses....playing with a basket of seashells...

And...I remembered a vision of a beautiful god-dess.... ( I really like to say that word)

There were peach linens with seashells and birds of paradise...

and of course cutting cake...

Seth gave a toast...I think he said something like..."live long and prosper"...or "be excellent to each other"....something to that effect. We all agreed.

Then, I woke up and it was time to get off the plane.

I can't remember now if it was just a dream....a very good dream.

Good things always seem to happen on Amelia.

ooooh...aaaah...

2010-07-04T17:08:00.000-07:00

I love America. I love it that in America, July is all about flags, and honor, and country, and patriotism. I love it that you can go to pretty much anywhere in the country and see everyday people in every town show up for a parade...where other everyday people ride on a float and wave...and we wave back....and clap for, well...everyday people. We celebrate each other and our tractors and horses and the guys who pick up after the horses. We wear our red and our white...and of course our blue. And we put on funny hats and are not ashamed of our funny hats. I love that about us. I love that honorable men and women serve us around the world. They miss the parade and the bbq and the tractors and horses, so that we can on any given 4th of July have a fun holiday, free from fear. I love you America....just the way you are.

Welcome July!

2010-07-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

The summer has been flying by with so many good things. I got to spend a week with Sweet-E and Sweet-D and the new little miss! Oh happy days of grand kids and summer! "Nothing better"...I'd say! We had a great day at the park eating lunch and listening to great music and watching E run, run run!

Also, did I mention the roses? OOOHHH the roses!

I have taken to counting my blessings, especially while they are so apparent, (this coming from me...you know...old "woe is me"...) But today is sunshine and love in my heart!( ...now I think it should be..."Whoa is me!") Thank Heaven for my little sweets and vacations home.

...Do you think they could bottle this?

Alma

2010-06-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

I remember standing in the small bathroom, every Sunday when I was little, watching my dad shave. He used an old fashioned metal razor with blades on both sides. He would squirt a rather large mound of shaving cream in his hands and then touch it lightly all over the lower half of his face, like you would spread meringue over a pie. Beautiful, shiny white peaks and valleys covered every part of his neck, chin, cheeks, and carefully applied over his upper lip (purse lips, apply generously, relax mouth to reveal pink lips unpainted in cream). It smelled clean. He would hold beside his ear and slowly bring the razor down across his skin, gathering the white cream, now encapsulating the unwanted whiskers, and leaving the peach skin soft and smooth behind. It was clean and precise like a perfectly mowed lawn. Even the difficult bits (upper lip and chin) were dealt with in a slow, precise, and gentle manner. All the while he would be humming a tune, or whistling a church hymn....my brown eyes wide open, hardly blinking, so I wouldn't miss even one stroke. (I should mention that he also showed me that a little piece of toilet paper would patch up a nic in no time...).
After church, when most everyone else had disappeared to their private laziness and mom was busy in the kitchen, I would sit on his lap and he would read the comics out loud to me. "No, dad... I only like the funny ones...not the serious ones." I would remind him every week. He would read the serious ones anyway, trying to put exciting voice inflections in so that I might change my mind. I would listen impatiently, waiting for him to finish Prince Valiant and get to Blondie and Dagwood.

Many years later, a friend and I ....after having a really long heart to heart talk about God and forgiveness and repentance...(you know about those long heart to hearts, right?) anyway...I told her that God was merciful and kind and would forgive....she said that she could only imagine God as a "fire-and brimstone" kind of God. One that exacted punishment for the wicked and the sinners, and that repentance was won only through immense suffering.

I don't know....I must have come across my idea of Heavenly Father from somewhere....maybe it was watching a gentle, kind, imperfect man, teach by example how to clean up where needed, patch up a mistake, and patiently endure...even through the serious parts of life.

Today, I will honor my Father...which one...you ask?....Both of them is my answer. My Heavenly, and earthly father. I imagine they are pretty much the same.

Saturday.....in the park

2010-06-07T09:12:00.000-07:00

"Little girls, little girls, everything about 'em is....little

2010-05-27T20:23:00.001-07:00

What is it about GIRL relatives?
Cousins are a wonderful thing...and sisters?
They are just downright awesome, too.
When Deisy 1st met Isla..she went crazy....like "I know YOU!" kinda crazy.
It was so cute, she just wanted to get a hold of her and squeeze and kiss on her,
like she was thinking, "I recognize you!" (hmmmmm....sweet "D" girl....)

And she was right....Isla is Just the cutest thing ever!

But WAIT!...There's more!

Claire found out this week that...(you guessed it)...she is having a GIRL!!
Hip-Hip-Hooray! Pink for everyone....on the house!

Only one small problem ....Sweet "E" boy met Isla with the same look
that he gave Deisy when she was born....

Sorry "E"....

You're still our #1 little man.

Words...

2010-05-24T17:02:00.000-07:00

Beautiful
Love
Sweet
Blessing
Perfect
Miracle
Joy
Thankful
Grateful
Sacred
Gift
Humbling
Grace
There simply are not enough words....

Welcome Isla Grace Garner.

You can read her remarkable story here.

Sarah and Josh

2010-05-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have just recently been able to see my family at a wedding reception for Sarah and Josh. They got married a couple of months ago and had this reception in Rexburg, Idaho.
Love, Love, LOVE my family! I am truly thankful for the couple of moments that I get to have every so often...to just reconnect! I had such a great time....take a look at the beautiful day we got to share with each other:

Sarah and Josh stealing a kiss....

I made the cake to match her original wedding cake....

Mindy brought her sweet little Sophia for us to see....

Fiona came and wore her pink boots....love her!

Did I say how much I love my family?

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

Today I woke with thoughts of my kids. Rob has been gone this past week, working in Oregon, so I was alone....on mother's day...thinking.
I thought of breakfast in bed, macaroni necklaces, and homemade cards made with coloring crayons and glitter. I thought of kids jumping on the bed to wake me up with the Sunday newspaper, orange juice, and pancakes with a smiley face on it. I thought about each of the pinch pots and coil pots and even a few clay dinosaurs that have been made especially for me. I haven't been alone this morning...the memories are still as sweet as if it were happening today!

As my mother would say...
"I wouldn't trade any of it for all the tea in China"!

It has been a privilege.

The Dread Pirate

2010-05-04T09:40:00.000-07:00

I've been married to a Rock Star for 30 years. Who knew?

just listen to one of our latest conversations....

DPR: "Denise...I really need a haircut...could you do it?"

Me: "Ya know, why don't we just buzz it like we used to do with Levi...it could just stay short all summer and this whole hair-cutting thing could just be avoided. Besides...then we could see what your head looks like for real.

interjection: This is one of those things I secretly admit...that I really wonder what my head looks like without hair...and wish I could do a Britney Spears for just a day. You know?

DPR: "Whatever...can't you just cut it?

Me: "Let's go get some of those buzzer things and do it...it will be fun."

DPR: "CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE ME A HAIR-CUT!! Besides it will just be all lumpy with dents. hey....that would make a great rock album, huh...Lumpy with Dents...."

This, people, is why I am quite certain that the DPR is living a secret life that I was unaware of until now. For the last 30 years he has been keeping a secret ledger of names for bands, albums, and songs for his alter ego. These names come from simple statements that pop up...but he is sure would end up on the charts as the number 1 single for the year. Names like this:

"Wild Child" (This he thought of years ago...well...when our children were...um...wild, good name for a band)
"Pepper Tooth" (good name for a band, something everyone can relate to...)
"Schwing-Schwang" (Song name that he swears he made up...but I think he heard it on Letterman...)
and "Cracka-lackin" ( Rob really did make this one up and says it all the time....he got an email from Kindle informing him of Snoop-dogs new single. Rob is considering sueing....)

This has gotten to the point that I am beginning to wonder if when he goes out of town...if really he is really going on tour. It could happen....

"Now playing: The Dread Pirate Robert...singing his new hit single, Cracka-lackin...from his new album, Lumpy with Dents!

Shhhh....don't mind me now....I'm playing my air-guitar and thinking about my baldness....hey that would make a great album name....

Florida Dream

2010-04-26T20:09:00.000-07:00

Dear Amelia Island,

Thank you. You have taken a warn out old girl and made her feel like there is hope. That maybe, just maybe, all will go right and that the story isn't over quite yet.If everyone could just sit out on your front porches for just an evening...maybe people would smile with joy and love their lives....

If they could fish off your docks for a day....I know they would see
that beauty is everywhere...

If they could paint a picture out your back door...they would surely know
that life is good...

If they could play on your beaches...then they could feel young again...

...and if they could have a sister...like I have?
Then they would know that they will always have a place to laugh.

Bye Amelia....

Love ya later!

1 fish, 2 fish, 3 fish, blue fish....

2010-04-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Liz and I went fishing with Captain Tom off of Amelia Island.

OH HAPPY DAY!

I snagged like 10 Blue fish and landed 7! Talk about FUN!
the best part is that Liz only caught like a half of a fish....I totally smoked her!

Ok...I'm probably exaggerating....she caught 1 whole fish...but....

but compared to my count (like 15) It did not even compare!!
It was so exilerating!

Captain Tom's boat is great and he is a great teacher, and in no time
I was up to like 25 fish...

and there was no stopping me! Here I am catching like my 102nd one!

Afterward, we went over to Tom and Shirley's house for a big fish fry...A-mazing!

I gave some of the credit to Liz 'cause I felt sorry for her...but she didn't cry for too long after.

I mean it's hard to be humble after you've caught like

a million fish...but....

I can handle it.

busy day

2010-04-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

Today I....hung out at the beach....

then I went fishing off of Liz's dock:

we held the poles with our toes...because that's what all the cool kids are doing....

so far I caught an eel, a shark, and one whiting (I caught the whiting while I was taking a nap...that's how good I am)

Thank heavens tomorrow we can rest....

On 8th and Beech....

2010-04-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago....I woke up and found myself in Florida.

I like when that happens....

The sunshine and breeze has been blowing through the curtains in my bedroom window reminding me to breath deep and be happy.

Liz and I have been planning a pow-wow of sorts to paint and play in the sand and generally escape from life as I know it. Thank heaven for escapes that come occasionally.

...Then...today I visited this place:

I know what you are thinking...I thought the same thing..."a gas station?...you went to a gas station?" YES! that is exactly where I went. To the naked eye this looks like an ordinary gas station....but underneath ( just like Clark Kent's shirt) is the most amazing restaurant. It's called , "T-Ray's burger station" and it's on the corner of 8th and Beech in Amelia Island, Florida. Only people who live there know about it....cause there is no sign out front at all....but believe me this place was packed! It only goes to show you that you can put a place up in ANY location and if the food is good...then they will come!

This is Ray and T-Ray and Junior in the background...they kindly let me take their picture....("as long as I didn't put it on-line"...) They also have chairs out front for outdoor diners....and t-shirts for sale that say, "EAT HERE AND GET GAS." Ha....good one....

"My 1st plate of Grits...EVER!"

Hmmm...welcome to Amelia!

p.s. I may or may not ever return....

The check out counter

2010-04-02T07:33:00.001-07:00

What is it about people at the check out counter....remember this?(at about 1:35):

Must they always ask personal questions about what you are buying or what you are gonna do with that thing that you are purchasing? I mean come on people! For instance...I don't think I have ever been to a fabric store that the lady behind the counter didn't say, "watchyamakin?" (because they run all their words together...dontchaknow...) "Well, I thought I'd make a pair of underwear...ya that's it...a pair of woolen underwear..." I mean really, If you are in a fabric store purchasing fabric, you are either making an article of clothing or making a piece of "none of your business"...period!

What are you to do when you just want to be left alone to make a purchase of your choosing without the world noticing what you are buying? hmmm?
I'm not saying that I am perfect....I have judged others a couple of times about what was in their shopping carts...Like one time I was in back of a guy at the checkout...in his cart he had like 10 bucks worth of giant candy bars and a jug of...Metamucil! I could not help myself, honestly. I caught myself thinkin..."Buddy...your bowels are screaming for mercy!" But I didn't say a word. So why is it that every time I want to make a purchase of some personal item...I am called out to the world on it?
The other day, I was at Goodwill, looking for treasures, right? I stumble upon this book that I heard about and wanted to read. It was about...well...you know..."Life changes"....for...um..women. (I can't even say the "M" word on my blog...feels to creepy to be talking to the world about it. Let's just call it: "The syndrome that shall not be named..."

Anyway, I'm thinking..."I gotta have this book...for Pete's sake Denise just get the book!" I saw another book that I wanted to read...so I grabbed them both and headed for the counter. I placed them both face down on the counter, the prices were on the spine.."just ring them in and take the money.." I thought....but no...the guy picks up the first one and sings out the title so all could hear... "sounds great" he continued...picks up the second and says all lofty, "The Wisdom of Mena...."
"YA...that's Right! I'm buying a book about Mena...I mean....the syndrome that shall not be named.!"
he totally turned bright red...while I handed him a five dollar bill. The women in the line behind me smiled knowingly and glared at him. (secretly wondering if he was going to ask them why they were purchasing an enema bag...)

Do you think that I have now just confirmed to the world that I really do need this book?

Oh well....go ahead... judge.

Hmmm.

2010-03-22T10:30:00.001-07:00

Oh Happy Daze! Claire has finally let the cat out of the bag, spilled the beans, or as some would say..."mom's the word"...
She is Pregnant! That means...new grand-baby for me...let me say it again..."OH HAPPY DAY!"
Hmmmm...I wonder what wee one will look like...

Create your own FA CEinHOLE

Slightly disturbing...

October baby...can't wait!

St. Paddy's Day

2010-03-17T13:04:00.000-07:00

Have a great day!

Love
Neisy

This was today....

2010-03-15T09:58:00.000-07:00

There is the most amazing moss that covers everything around here! It is all over the trees and it is totally beautiful....it is even on the ground on the edges of my pathway. take a look:

I have spent so much money on bags of this stuff at home...who knew you could come to Cali and find it laying on the ground....

And get a load of this....Calla Lilies in someone's....YARD!! Are you kidding me?

Just Lovely.

Hmmm...(sigh), beautiful day.

March right in!

2010-03-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

I love March! March means that April, May, and even June, are right around the corner...and winter is really almost over. It also means that we celebrate all things Irish...and I LOVE me some Irish. The hills here have their green on like crazy and it makes my heart sing!

It also means that it's time for St. Paddy's day....one of my favorite holidays.
Here are the best ways to get your Irish on:

1. wear green! As I said before...Green makes everything feel alive, so first thing is to put on something green..."No Mattie...it doesn't count if your underwear is green"...(cricket sound)....just kiddin...(more cricket sound)..moving on.

2. watch Irish movies
The Quiet Man is one of my all time favorites! John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara are the best....and who can resist Tom and Nicole in Far and Away....this was when Nicole was not ruined by plastic surgery. Love this movie....especially when Nicole's mom says: "This is no longer the Ireland of my Barth"....Huh...I love that.

Or how about a little Darby O'Gill...do you remember Sean Connery being in this? Who knew....and of course... Brigadoon. (sigh)...I love it that the guys go hunting in business suits...

3. hang out with redheads
Here are a few of MY favorites:

See how much fun they are?

4. wear plaid:

and who doesn't like a guy in a skirt?....

5. Talk with an accent. Kindle is really good at this....on the other hand...I suck at this. It just comes out like an english/mexican something....that's why I thought of number 6.

6. If you can't do #5 then say everything with an "O" or a "Mc" in front of it.
Like this: "Please pass the O'pepper and the McSalt."
(Oh yaa...we're havin fun now...)

And finallly and most importantly...eat "Carned" Beef and Cabbage. Every year we would make a huge crockpot full of corned beef cooked in beer with cabbage and roasted potatoes. It is SOOOO good. I'm tellin ya.... it is addictive. You'll want to start your own tradition with this one.

I wish you all a wee bit o' luck and let me know how you get your Irish on!

Love you,
McNeisy McConnell

Profound words

2010-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Levi called early this morning to say goodbye. He is leaving today for Iraq. I had planned that I would say something really profound....you know...words that when he was far away from home, and things were bad, that he would think of those profound words, and it would change everything. That all of a sudden the universe would open and it would all make sense. That whatever he was going through, would somehow seem small and simple.

I had planned to say something like, "Be Brave Son...and Remember who you are"....or "You are a strong Man...You can do this!"....or "Return home with Honor"...

Cliche...right? I mean if someone gets to the point that they don't remember who they are, they are really in big trouble.

I ended up without enough words to say anything important.
All I could say was, "I'm scared"
He said, "me too...but don't worry, Mom, I think it will be a big adventure."

Very profound.
I love you, boy.

The Minuet

2010-02-15T10:00:00.000-08:00

I sat at my desk daydreaming about the upcoming school program that was going to happen on Presidents day. Four 3rd graders were going to be chosen to do the Minuet in front of the whole school and all of our parents. They were going to get to wear there hair up and wear a beautiful old fashioned gown in...ummm...minuet style(whatever that is) and it was going to be just beautiful, I just knew it.
"I bet they pick that one girl over there because she has the longest hair and it's blonde and I bet they will pick her....but I have the next longest hair, so I bet they will choose me...maybe I will tell Mrs. Moore that I have long hair and that they should choose me for the dance.......What? Tracy Loyd got an A on her paper and now she gets to be in the minuet?! Tracy Loyd? She doesn't' have long hair and she is not pretty and she picks her nose...and now they won't pick me because that other girl has the longest hair...."(sobbing commences)Sometimes....if you cry hard enough....you DO get your way (even if your hair isn't the longest.)

Happy Presidents Day!

Read on...

2010-02-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

I just finished this book:

I just LOOOOVED IT! Seriously! The thing is...is that I have loved everything that Barbara Kingsolver has ever written, so far...and this is one of my favorites! Mostly because I am into the whole "healthy food" thing anyway, but also because she has such a way of story-telling that really captures you and her descriptions are wonderful.
Barbara and her family spent a whole year being "locavores"...eating only things that they grew or raised themselves, or that were locally grown. I am dying to have a garden right now! I wish I had place to get going! At least here the farmers market will be opening soon and then we can get everything super fresh and local. Way excited for that!
I hope you will all run out and buy this book so we can talk about it! Also...you can check out my side bar...I put a new page up explaining my crazy story with health and food....a never ending journey for me. Kindle has also started a co-op of sorts for people near her wanting to buy local and organic meat...you'll have to check out her blog (I will tell her to put up a link)
Also you simply MUST watch the movie "Food Inc." .... really life changing!

Ok...so a little too pushy?.....you'll thank me later....

The best munchkin ever!

2010-02-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

OH BOY!!! Could it possibly have been 2 years ago that this bundle of energy rocked my world? It's kinda like Dorothy opening the door to a world of COLOR! Everything is better with Sweet "E" boy.

E...it's been a ball!

I love you, and Happy Birthday!
from,
Gramma

An Ensign to the nations....and to me.

2010-01-20T09:47:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke and saw the Ensign laying by my bed, begging me to be read. I love it when books do that....so I began. Elder Uchtdorf's article was first: "Hold on a Little Longer".

"Why, elder Uchtdorf, are you speaking directly to me?...Why yes,...yes you are..."

You know how that is when the words just seem to fit everything about your life that you have been thinking and feeling?...that was how it felt. His message of hope and endurance were right on target to my heart. Then I read "The Best is Yet to Be" by elder Holland. Holy Cow! was this a spiritual ambush or what?! Just exactly what I need to hear.

"Look ahead and remember that faith
is always pointed toward the future"

These are words that are perfect for this day when the rain is coming down so hard it's scary, and everything looks grey and foreboding.

Robert Browning wrote:

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
The last of life, for which the first was made:
Our times are in his hand
Who saith, "A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God:
see all, nor be afraid!"

And for this old gal...who sometimes gets discouraged at life...I will be looking for sunshine, hoping for a brighter day, and trusting God that what we are doing is part of His plan.

Besides...sometimes when you look back...
you realize what dorks you were then...

BFF

2010-01-11T15:18:00.000-08:00

I would like to introduce you to my new best friend. Her name is Bonnie...and she is from England. Rob introduced us when we got here, and then left us alone to mingle and get to know each other. She seemed nice enough...and it's good to have someone to talk to. So last week I thought we would go out together...just us girls. I needed to get me some IKEA, if you know what I mean. I knew Bonnie would know how to get there...so I wasn't really worried.
It started out great...with "go South on Highway 101 for 11 miles...", but then she started saying things like this...

Bonnie:"In 4 hundred feet, turn right, then turn right."

Me: "Wait...how many feet..?.. then 2 rights?"

Bonnie: "Turn right then keep left."

Me: " Well, I can't get over into that lane right now...."

Bonnie: "TURN RIGHT! YOU FOOL...TURN RIGHT!

Me..."just calm down, Bonnie...I'm trying to..."

Bonnie: "....Re-routing."

Me: "Look Bonnie, if you can't be nice I might have to make Dave from Australia my new BFF...I mean c'mon.

Bonnie: "turn Left, then turn right...just do it.

Me(in tears): ok...ok..."

Bonnie: "Researching point of interest.....point of interest does not exist."

Me: " what the....listen here girl friend...are we gonna have a chick fight? 'cause I will take you down!...Are you listening?"

Bonnie: "destination is in 200 feet."

Me: (sweetly)"Thank you, Bonnie."

We are getting along much better now. (but I'm not counting out Dave just yet..)

"Houston...we have a go..."

2010-01-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Dear Utah,

Thank you so much. I will miss you.

This is what I will miss:

1. The people of Ogden and Huntsville. My Angel friends who have made my life wonderful since 1986. I love you all... I want to live next to all of you in Heaven, seriously.

2. My babies.

(still too hard to talk about leaving them.... I love them so.)

3. Living near the prophet...all 4 sessions of General Conference on TV is such a huge blessing.

4. Mountains and deserts all in one state...what's not to love.

5. 24th of July concert at Weber State...no...the whole month of July, I will miss.

6 Did I mention the people....love them...

This is what I will not miss:

1. Construction 24/7

2. Snow until June

3. Snow until June.

I love you Utah.

Dear California,

please be kind.

Thank you,

Neisy

Changes coming

2010-01-02T09:20:00.000-08:00

This is my theme song as of late:

I said good bye to Claire and Jeff yesterday...they are headed to Seattle. Levi left this morning for Kansas....Rob and I will be leaving for California in a bit. We are starting our own new adventure there. Changes are everywhere for our family. It all seems a bit overwhelming. I honestly can't say when we will all be together again in the same place.
Finding oneself in the "empty nest" phase is quite alarming....I have to say. I have been the mother of small children for such a long time, it is how I have identified and defined myself. And all of a sudden they are all adults, leading their own lives. In one word?...SCARY!
As we left Levi this morning at the airport, I said.."oh I forgot to help him figure out which gate to go to..." Kindle said, "Mom....are you kidding...he'll figure it out..."
I know.
It's hard to let go....for Pete's sake he made through far worse things than the SLC airport!
Then I got in the car and bawled. It's not just Levi...it's all of them! I miss my little chickadees.
How can I leave my Sweet "E" boy and my Swee "D" girl?
What if Mattie needs help cooking something....or what if Kit needs me to help her sew something....? Who's gonna make all the freaking Birthday cakes, for cryin' out loud!?

I know...I know....They will figure it out.
(How do I figure out how to be without them?)

at least I still have the dread pirate....

Goodbye 2009

2009-12-30T08:06:00.001-08:00

I woke up this morning and just laid in my bed thinking about...everything. I was having one of those..."I want to sleep-in but my brain won't let me", mornings. My life movie was playing in my head....worries, thoughts, laughs, changes.
Who is the guy that said..."the only thing you can count on is change..." (or something to that effect...) well...that guy was right! So many changes have happened this year...and so many more to come are at our doorstep.
This year, we have seen weddings, anniversaries, births, birthdays, and boot-camps...not to mention camping of all kinds, move-ins and move-outs, vacations, games in the backyard, family dinners and get-togethers, pictures, memories, and prayers....Our lives are really made up of so many wonderful things. We have had many challenges, too....but the good, far out-weigh the bad. So what is to become of us? Another year will pass...and I suspect it will be full of good things, and hard things, and some things will be simple and some will be complicated....but we will learn again, that the secret to a happy life is to enjoy the ride.

OH WHAT A RIDE IT HAS BEEN!
I can't wait for more.

Coming Home

2009-12-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

Today, we arrived at the St. Louis Airport at about 5:30 a.m. to see an ocean of green. America's finest young men were leaving from Fort Leonard Wood for their Christmas exodus. Everywhere you looked there were service men and women in their green uniforms waiting to get home to their families. The air was electric.
I have been "weepy"since we left to go to Levi's graduation. It is too hard to explain....but any one who has seen their kid accomplish something this hard will understand how I feel. I sent a kid away and he returned a man. That is all I can say.
So, today we made our way through the St Louis Airport and the Las Vegas Airport. All along the way, people everywhere stopped Levi and thanked him sincerely for serving our country.

People!! We have such a great country! It was truly awesome. To top it all off, when we got to Salt Lake...we were walking down to the baggage claim area, and as we walked out from security, there were a huge group of people gathered. They had flags and balloons...one man was singing the national anthem (in a humble way, not all flashy) and as Levi walked out first...they all started cheering and clapping...
well....you can only imagine. I pretty well lost it. They were doing this for ALL our soldiers. Each time a military person walked out, the cheering would start again.
I love our country and the good people who live here...seriously. I don't think people who are in Washington, or in Hollywood really understand the depth of appreciation that normal, everyday Americans feel toward our armed service men and women.
We should make this a tradition...every time we see a soldier...we should thank them for their courage to serve...especially at this hard time in our country.

Here are a few pics: (sorry for the quality...you know how it goes...)

I could not be happier today.

We are off!

2009-12-15T20:59:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow the DPR and I are flying off to Missouri to see Levi's Graduation! I am so excited, I don't know how I will sleep tonight...I feel just like a kid waiting for Christmas morning!

Let's just consider this a practice run for the 25th.

See ya!

p.s. I'll have pics when I get back!

Welcome Christmas

2009-12-12T13:14:00.000-08:00

This was an old pic of Kit and Claire during primary one year...gotta love it!
(has nothing to do with this post...just thought it was hilarious.)

Rob and I went out shopping today along with 3 Billion other people...and that's just here in Ogden. That's why they wrote that song... "Oh there's no place like home for the holidays...." you know....because the whole time I was thinking..."let's just go home".

We already kinda decided that we wouldn't get much this year anyway, nobody really has any money to be wasting, so we all want to keep it really simple. Our family has always felt like this, and I am happy that they do. It wasn't always like that. We had a few of those over-the-top Christmas mornings, full of too many gifts, wrappings, candy, and ribbon.....and also full of:
1. mother's stress out and shopping anxiety
2.post Christmas morning psychotic breakdown...( me sitting on the couch christmas morning,staring off into space mumbling and pulling wads of hair out...)
3. kid's Christmas morning unappreciative disappointment. ("is that it?"they would say, holding 100's of dollars worth of doc martins(remember them?) and boxes of new clothes, etc.etc... just shoot me now...)
Don't get me wrong, those Christmas' were great, we were all together, and it's what people think it should be like, it was fun, but when you come right down to it....not nearly as gratifying as some of the other Christmases that we have spent without all of the "crap".

One Christmas, years ago, Rob and I decided that our gift to each other would be to get out of debt. We took a large chunk of savings and paid off all our credit cards. Then I took all the credit cards, chopped them in half and hung them all over our Christmas tree! My statement to the world, that I wasn't going to be a part of the mayhem. Our teenagers were mortifyed, and completely embarrassed (but that secretly makes me happy too...)
Anyway...September of that year...Rob got laid off from his job. the only dollars that we had that year for Christmas was from "sand dollars" that we had collected from the beach on a family vacation during the summer. We happily hung them all over the tree and proceeded to have one of the best Christmases ever, remembering the tender mercy that it was to be out of debt. We laughed and talked about great times we had together, and played games, had a nice dinner...all done with almost no presents whatsoever.

(We decided to focus on making some family traditions... like English crackers at dinner...*see the bottom pic...)

It really is parent's fear that drives the Christmas machine. Fear of that disappointment from our kids, and maybe remembering our own disappointments. Also I think it might just be that we want the gifts to represent our love...that great big love that we feel toward our families ( but then leaves us feeling that great big buyers remorse and anxiety afterwards...less than a feeling of love...I'd say...)
There have been other Christmases that were even scarcer...but were faced without any fear. I have come to learn...It really doesn't matter. It truly is about being together, playing games, laughing and talking, and loving each other.
*do I need to say again what dorks we are? The tradition lives on:

"Welcome Christmas, while we stand...
heart to heart and hand to hand."
(Dr. Suess)

Make it a good one this year.
Love you all...without any buyers remorse,
Neisy

gathering family

2009-12-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

Hello all! I've been missing blogging lately....just haven't had time to pull it together.
So I'm getting my fix today.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving in St. George, thanks to Daniel. His company has a condo there for their employees...so we loaded us all up and away we went! Had a fantastic time, and the best part was that we finally were able to see Jeff! He has been stationed in Las Vegas for the last couple of weeks. What a sight for sore eyes. I sure love that guy! He told us all about Texas and all the "gory" details of basic training. Plus we had all the good stuff of Thanksgiving...what's not to love?

We actually celebrated Thanksgiving twice. A little before the actual holiday, we had a great big dinner with Rob's family, to honor his parent's 60th wedding anniversary....all I can say is...WOW.
60 years...proof that it can be done.
We made a cake to resemble their original wedding cake...and
made them feed each other like newlyweds(hilarious)We got good advice from the "pros"...and
they spoke of their love tenderly(sigh)
Again...what's not to love?
Thank heaven families are forever.

p.s. You can watch the whole thing here.

The spirit of Thanksgiving

2009-11-17T08:08:00.000-08:00

Here.

The dread pirate

2009-11-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

I got up early this morning, said my prayers, and then cranked the music up. I wanted to get going on organizing the house. I love listening to music I love. It gets me moving...and keeps me moving for as long as it's playing. I'm thankful for that today. It is thanksgiving time, so I have been thinking of "thankfuls". I am missing my number one thankful. I am a lucky girl.

Git me my rockin' chair...

2009-11-02T21:11:00.000-08:00

Today my baby turned 19.
We were driving around and she actually said..."I feel so old".

Ya...whatever.
Happy Birthday baby girl.

The Ghosts of Halloween past

2009-10-31T08:32:00.001-07:00

May your Tricks be few and
your Treats be many!
Happy Halloween everyone!

Kym and Adam/Family Reunion

2009-10-26T21:34:00.000-07:00

We just got home last night from Rexburg. What a blast. Kym(fabulous niece) married Adam(totally cool new best friend)....and oooohhhh what a party! The air was crisp and fallish(wonderful), the food was plentiful and beautiful(delicious), the bride was dressed in simple white(breathtaking), and my family was reunited(blessing). take a look for yourself and see what I mean...
Megan wore her RED shoes...

all the cousins were having entirely too much fun!
and the day....well it was truly awesome- in the true sense of the word!

Claire and I made the cakes...check these out-

The grooms' cake was chocolate Diablo cake with dark chocolate
ganache, almond filling and molded chocolate leaves.
The wedding cake was orange almond cake with chocolate ganache
filling and buttercream frosting.
The leaves on the wedding cake I made out of melted sugar along with
the nest for the birds. I love how it turned out.
(thanks to Claire for all her hard work...or it would not
have "turned out")

The best part was catching up with my family. I love these people!!
I feel so blessed to be a part of their world.

I love you Kym.
...and Adam..."welcome to the family", good move.

boo...sorta

2009-10-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

Last week, we decided to have a Halloween party. Well, it's like this...all of us are about as busy as we can get the next 2 weeks, and we didn't want to skip it. and besides that...Claire really wanted it to celebrate her birthday. so what the heck...we just did one early!
K...way fun! just take a look:

Kindle making the most delicious sweet potatoes with Gorgonzola and hazelnuts...unbelievable!

Kindle had her "scare" on
Sweet "E" boy was there...in super form!(along with Lois of course...)

Waldo showed up...

Dread pirate...kitchen witch?

We are dorks...

I'm keeping the wig.

Claire de "Loon"

2009-10-14T07:20:00.000-07:00

I used to dream about colors when I was pregnant. I know it sounds crazy (when have I not sounded crazy...right?) but I really did. With Kindle it was peachy orange, Kit was an aqua color, and Claire, was....well....complicated. I dreamt of periwinkle. But wait, then I would dream of dark golden yellow. back and forth like my brain couldn't control the color knob. Then, there she was...with periwinkle eyes and dark golden hair. Sweet and quiet, but also firm and determined. My life was once again changed forever for the better.

After she was born, I went and got the piano music for Debussy's "Claire de Lune". I have always loved it...with it's sometimes sensitive feeling and then sweeping movement. It was not an easy arrangement. Difficult, delicate, powerful, beautiful, and complicated...just like Claire. I felt like if I could just keep practicing...I would figure this piece out...

This is Claire when she was about 5 years old (we were driving in the van)...
"Mom I can cry anytime I want to."
(me)"you can? ok do it..."
pause...pause...pause...loud sobbing noise from the back seat.."waaahhh!"

I'm telling you people...I had to turn around to make sure she was ok...she nailed it!
Claire smiling, "see."
Tell me...as a mother what do you do with this?

Claire and her dad have a system also...they tease and tease and tease till Claire gets so upset that she starts to cry....then I step in and say "Rob...do you have to do this?" (scolding) Claire will be behind my back laughing at Rob because she got him in trouble... game over.

I secretly like it this way. I have moments, occasionally, when I actually conquer the music.
Like this time:Me and Claire at a Halloween party...(lick finger-chalk 1 up for mom...)

But most of the time, I just have to sit back...and wonder at the mystery, and allure of this most fascinating creature.

Happy Birthday, sweetheart. You have brought magic into my simple minded world.

just today...

2009-09-29T12:37:00.000-07:00

Claire came to have lunch with me today...she picked the ripe tomatoes that I have been neglecting (mainly due to tomato overload), but you can't look at a beautiful bowl of fresh picked tomatoes and not eat at least a few...so she made the most luscious roasted veggie sandwiches ever! take a look:

Roasted Veggie sandwiches:

1 medium peeled zucchini
1 medium peeled yellow squash
1 super sweet onion
2-3 tomatoes
1 medium peeled eggplant
Italian dressing (homemade is best)
feta cheese (optional)

Slice all the vegetables and lay out on a cookie sheet. Drizzle the Italian dressing over all the vegetables and throw in the oven for about 35-40 minutes at 425* or until they caramelize or the edges turn golden brown. Serve on toasted bread with feta cheese or drizzle flavored olive oil. mega -yum!

Oh Ya....
Last night Claire called me and Rob at around 11pm and asked if we remembered to call Jeff for his birthday? Oh Crap! It was too late to call him then...so I stewed about it for another hour. But during the stew time, I just thought about Jeff for awhile. What a great guy. really. He is so very funny and we all really miss him right now (gone to the air force) and I know that he is wishing he could be hanging out at my table eating these sandwiches and a birthday cake that I would surely have made if he were here. After Jeff came home from his mission, the 1st time we saw him was at stake conference. He was sitting a few rows back from us and Claire saw him out of the corner of her eye...she said "mom, don't let him see me!! I know he will ask me out and I don't want to have boyfriend right now!!" ......ya. That lasted about 30 seconds, 'cause Jeff made a Bee line straight over to her as soon as the Amen was said. She was a gonner. Thank heaven.
Love you Jeff...even if we are a lame family that never calls or writes...or knows how to take pictures...believe me, we are thinking about you.

Fru-its of our Labors

2009-09-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

It all started a while ago when someone, (for the life of me I can't remember who) I think it was Kit...gave me a bunch of apricots. "Awesome, I will make jam" I thought. So I did, and so did Kindle and Kit.
Then a couple of weeks ago, a neighbor brought over a box full of cucumbers and peppers and tomatoes out of her garden. She had way too much and was going on vacation..."they all were going to waste", if I didn't take them. So I did, and made dill pickle relish and salsa...mmm.
Then you know I bought peaches, but I ended up leaving town, so I gave them to all the girls to do whatever with...so when I got back, I went and got some more so I could can peaches...
Kindle wanted some, and she wanted me to take a left-over box of apples that she couldn't finish, so I did, and made apple pie filling.
Claire's mother-in-law (Jamie) called to see if I would take a huge bowl of Roma tomatoes, so I did, and made spaghetti sauce.
Kindle wanted to trade some jalapenos' she had done, so I did.

Just bringing people together one piece of produce at a time. =)

1st letter

2009-09-24T17:22:00.001-07:00

K....this was in the mail today:

hmmm...

I guess I can stop worrying. I don't know...I feel sorta...."hardcore".

.

Basic training

2009-09-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

My baby boy left today...

ok, I know he's not a baby..he's actually this tough guy that drinks milk from the carton and chews tobacco. (hopefully not together) but it still felt like my heart would melt when I said good bye.
I joked around and told him to think positive...we laughed with the staff sergeant over something I wasn't even listening to...Rob had told him before to fly under the radar, and that he didn't have to be the fastest in the group, just not the slowest...I could feel the heat rising up from my sw0llen heart. I smiled and told him "it would all be okay", and "we'll see you at Christmas." we hugged... I walked out to the car...we drove away and then I realized that my heart was still in his hands...and then came the tears.

.

Quickie Vaca

2009-09-13T20:09:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday, Rob was getting ready to go to Cali. for some business. As I was helping to load the truck, which was full to the brim...except the passenger side...I thought to myself..."why am I not sitting in that passenger seat?" I quickly called everyone that I could, to take care of everything for the week that I was supposed to do---through together a duffel bag of clothes and before I knew it, we were cruising along on our way to the Bay! There IS a God.

The shore at Half Moon Bay:

Sonoma:

Yosemite:

Yes, we saw a BEAR!

The world is truly a beautiful place. I'm glad we get to live in it.

Also, it just so happens that this trip coincided with our 29th Anniversary,
which was yesterday the 12th of September!

"It's been a wild ride sweetheart....love you more."

My Kitchen

2009-09-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up to this:
Labor day weekend was a bust....everyone headed in different directions: Garners to Vegas, Claire to Texas, and everyone else here had there own schedule happening. Thus it is with adult children....they do whatever they want and you have no control. (dang, I hate that free-will stuff) Anyway, Monday proved differently...they all came home, not all at the same time granted...but they all made it back to see what was happening in my kitchen.
The Kitchen I had growing up was small, dark, and seemed to more often than not offer up burned dinners. Even with that, there were alot of really good memories made there. I remember doing the dishes with my sister, Maureen, and we would sing camp songs and harmonize old timey songs like "you are my sunshine". In the summer, it might end up with a water fight. I miss singing like that....
When Rob and I moved to the house on 27th street, we had small children and proceeded to remodel like crazy.One day I came out (I was busily getting ready for girls camp) and Rob had taken a sledge hammer to the wall! "What the....!" He decided that while I was gone that week, he was gonna remodel the kitchen...6months later it was done. Ok...It was worth it. We had so much fun in that kitchen. After dinner we would get all the kids to help clean up....we would turn the music on loud and sing and dance around while we were all doing dishes and wiping counter tops. the kids never wanted to stop, so we would dance around for a couple of hours. I have vivid memories of them doing these crazy dances to Ravel's Bolero, or Ella Fitzgerald....our music selection was all over the map, so they got a very diverse education in music. ( not to worry...we mostly listened to rock...Rob and I are children of the 60's and 70's you know)

(we bought these great big strawberries that looked like tongues...heh, heh,....ok so we're a
little dimented.)

(there at Easter...)

I absolutely had the kitchen of my dreams, when we built our house in the valley. We had great parties there...it was made for having lots of people and lots of good food....the dancing continued....

This is a picture I took right before we sold the house. Don't get me started...that is a whole nuther post.So where was I...Oh ya...labor day....well on Monday, we picked Claire up from the airport with Levi and on the way home, decided that we needed peaches, which were not on the way home...but DPR being the sweet pirate that he is drove us to Willard to get a box of peaches. =)

So, last night I made some wonderful (sugar-free) peach pie that is to die for...and viola'everyone showed up. I guess it's not the size of your kitchen, but the size of the love in your kitchen that makes them come back for more....or maybe it's just peach pie.....ok...whatever.
anyway, so here I am eating peach pie for breakfast and thinking of my kitchen and that I need to clean it up. Maybe I'll turn on a little music....

McConnell Road

2009-08-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

Rob finally got home last night. This time he's been in Oregon visiting his folks and doing some work for them. Hermiston is one of those towns that seem to never change....I know it does, maybe it's just that it goes a little slower, or maybe it's just that we don't get back there very often. Regardless, it seems to me that it is a little slice out of time.
The McConnell "homestead" on McConnell Road is the thing I like the most about Hermiston. Lot's of good memories there...the 1st time I met Rob, he was leaving for his mission in about a week, I was there to hang with Liz....oh ya...(wink,wink) Liz was more fun than anyone in the world to hang with (and still is) and if I remember right I think this visit had something to do with motorcycles.

(as you can see, this was taken in '94....they had to cut this tree down a few years ago...)

Bonnie and Warren have always had a fantastic garden and yard, and a back patio that overlooks the Umatilla River, and farming fields below. We would all go out and sit on the side yard under the huge trees and swing in the hammock lazily, while the kids ran around in the sprinklers or swung in the tire swing. They built their house back in the day...probably around 50 years ago. Rob says that they built the garage first and lived in it while they slowly got the rest of the house done. Over the years it has evolved into the neatest place.

(View from the front porch)

Bonnie has always had style...born with it.

I always remember her emerging every morning with the most beautiful
house robes on.
I'm not kidding! beautiful velvet looking bathrobes that made her look like the
queen of Sheba just arrived.
Someday I'm going to stop wearing sweats in the
morning and look glorious like a queen.

Some things never change.

an Invitation

2009-08-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Oh Bless-ed Day!
Yesterday: August 16, 2009....
Sweet "D" Girl came into the world.
Arrival time: 6:32 a.m.
Weight: 7.5 lbs.
Name: Deisy Belen
(spanish spelling-pronounced like "Daisy")

You are cordially invited to "oooooh" & "ahhhh"....

Sweet "E" boys first look...

Deisy's birth was truly amazing...I count it as a gift to have been able to see it.
She didn't cry. more like a little kitten "meow'...it was so cute.
But, I might add that she hasnt' stopped talking since...not crying, just talking, letting us know that she is there.

Kit was truly a birthing machine! we arrived at the hospital around 4 am and Kit and Daniel were just barely getting checked in. She walked and stood through contractions for awhile then got on her lovely yoga ball that is her favorite postion. She was laughing and talking all the way to the end....dialated to 10 and still in control! 3 pushes and baby girl was there. Absolute beauty and perfection in giving birth. I think this is what true progression is...watching your child progress and grow...well, the word that comes to mind is- celestial.

Lovely day.

dishing

2009-08-04T20:17:00.000-07:00

So...Karen came home for a visit from New York...and of course, we had to go
crash her hair appointment at Kindle' salon so we could have a visit with her....it was just like in
"steel magnolias".

Don't you just love it when you get to see someone that you haven't seen in a really long time...You pick right up where you left off and gab your heart out. I haven't had a chance to talk to Karen since her wedding (in Hawaii) that Claire and I were privileged enough to go to...it was truly awesome....anyway Karen leads a really cool life and we only get snipets of info off of facebook...you know like, "Karen is really happy about work today" ....WHAT? that didn't tell me anything...what are you so gosh darn happy about?

( and since I am basically a facebook stalker, I can't ask...that means I would actually have to let everyone know that I'm stalking...I know, I know...but it's complicated.) wait...stop judging me, I know you do it too. That's why blogs are so important...you get a little more information so that people don't really have to call you ever again...if you work it right. I mean...wait....I think I'm digging myself deeper...just look at the pics...

Anyway, we met at Kindle's salon that she has in her basement...so CUTE!!
(Kindle really was born with style) We laughed and talked and it was downright....well

theraputic!

Thanks girls for making this former-grey-haired woman
feel like...not a cyber-stalker.

because sometimes.....

2009-08-03T07:59:00.001-07:00

...you just need to sit with a bucket over your head.

nuf said.

Oh my...lovely July

2009-07-29T08:06:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it. July is almost over! It makes me freak out just a bit....where has the time gone? It really just flew by in a blur. So many things happened this month that I didn't mention, that I need to do a little catch up here and now...before the month disappears.

1.Jeff graduated from Basic!

Jeff is the the 3rd one back on the left (holding the light blue flag)...Holy cow, they look sharp! We weren't able to go to the graduation...but Claire said it was incredible! People were screaming and cheering and the guys were just down right tough! (So wish we could have gone.)
Did I mention....I am so darn proud?

2. Levi had surgery on his legs! He was diagnosed with "compartmental syndrome"..(where the membrane that covers the muscle doesn't expand enough when you exercise, causing major blood pressure and pain...) ouch! so they had to move his date back a bit and he has been convalescing for the last couple of weeks.(check out the sweet hat...beret style, and the sweet nurse, shaving his legs....you can tell Levi "hated" that!)

This is him after the surgery being a total dork...(he had crackers in his mouth)...and the great thing is that he doesn't remember a bit of it...;)

3. Had bronchitis...that was fun
4. Girls camp got over just in time for Youth Conference...
5. More wedding stuff....wat up wid dat?
6. played with little man. oh ya.
And it is official...we love CHERRIES!

7. April and Corbin came for a visit...so we went to the fireworks:

You know, July and fireworks are two of my very favoritest things...seriously....If anyone ever asked me what my favorite holiday was, the answer was always the 4th of July...but I found something I love to watch more than the fireworks...Sweet E watching the fireworks! He was so adorable (and so tired) Trying to keep his eyes open to see the big blasts...I couldn't take my eyes off him! I love that little man so much.

He also helped us wash the car.

8. A million other little life things also happened....and now?

August is mine to love and hold! All I want to do is a little painting, hold a new baby girl, and kiss on my sweet DPR. Please do not call me if you are planning on interrupting my plan.
Bye July...it was sweet.

the 24th of july

2009-07-25T15:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we went downtown to watch the parade! I love a good parade....I mean...
what's not to love?
Floats, horses, girls with sparkly dresses, heavy machinery, marching bands....

we also saw a little of this.....yewww.

....and here in Utah....Missionaries and pioneers!

For our family, going to the pioneer day parade has always been a tradition of the most important kind...mostly because this most important of holidays is more importantly the birthday for our first, ( and very important) child.....did I say it was important?...
When Kindle was really little, we used to tell her that for her birthday, we were going to have a parade and invite the whole city to celebrate her birthday!....(note to self...never say anything to a child that you really can't back up...later they will hold you to it.) Kindle still loves the parade...but me? I just really love Kindle.

Later we had a BBQ in Kindle's backyard, then went to the rodeo....GREAT FUN! GREAT DAY!

Happy Birthday, Kiddo!

Oh, and p.s. Kit had a great idea to make a "crepe cake"....it turned out really good, too. You can find the original recipe here. (we changed it to be sugar free by using pure maple and I used coconut milk in the pastry cream instead of regular milk. (just 'cause)

latest project

2009-07-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

I have been making a wedding dress for Kenzie...

we designed it together and I think it is so cool! check it out:

The detail at the neckline is seriously fun...
all handmade silk flowers with pearls and feathers.

Very Funky and Cool....just like she is.

p.s. you can see amazing pics of the dress here.